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A cause of concern for American parents

The rise in pediatric mental health issues has been a concerning trend in recent years:

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  1. Prevalence: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of mental health disorders among children aged 6-17 years has risen from 16.5% in 2016 to 22.2% in 2020.
  2. Depression and anxiety: The rate of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2022.
  3. Suicide: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-24 in the United States, according to the CDC. The suicide rate among individuals aged 10-24 increased by 57.4% between 2007 and 2018.
  4. Emergency department visits: The number of children and adolescents visiting emergency departments for mental health concerns increased by 24% between 2011 and 2015, according to a study published in Pediatrics in 2018.
  5. Eating disorders: The prevalence of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, has increased among children and adolescents in recent years, with a study published in the American Journal of Public Health estimating that up to 3.8% of adolescents may have an eating disorder.
  6. ADHD: The prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children aged 3-17 has increased from 6.1% in 1997 to 10.2% in 2019, according to the CDC.

In addition, children and adolescents face several social health challenges that can significantly impact their overall well-being and development. Here are some of the major social health challenges faced by kids today:

  1. Bullying and cyberbullying: Bullying, both in-person and online (cyberbullying), can have severe consequences on a child’s mental health, self-esteem, and academic performance. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 20% of students aged 12-18 experienced bullying at school in 2019.
  2. Social media and internet use: Excessive use of social media and the internet can lead to issues such as cyberbullying, body image concerns, sleep disturbances, and decreased face-to-face interactions, which can negatively impact a child’s social development and mental health.
  3. Peer pressure: Children and adolescents often face pressure from their peers to engage in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, unhealthy eating habits, or risky sexual behavior, which can have long-term consequences on their health and well-being.
  4. Lack of social support: Children who lack a strong support system, whether from family, friends, or community, may struggle with social isolation, low self-esteem, and difficulty developing healthy relationships.
  5. Childhood trauma: Exposure to traumatic events, such as abuse, neglect, or violence, can have significant and long-lasting impacts on a child’s mental health, emotional regulation, and social development.
  6. Poverty and socioeconomic disparities: Children living in poverty or low-income households often face additional challenges, such as limited access to resources, educational opportunities, and healthcare services, which can affect their overall well-being and social development.
  7. Discrimination and marginalization: Children from minority or marginalized communities may face discrimination, stigma, and limited opportunities, which can negatively impact their self-esteem, mental health, and social integration.

Talk to your doctor if your child has any concerns.

The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Always make sure to seek a doctor or a professional’s advice before proceeding with the home treatment plan.


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Tips from A Child Counselor Vrunda

If you want to make your child independent and confident, follow these steps :

1 Don’t feed your child let him eat by himself. If they starve, they will develop a sense of hunger.

2. Let he decide how much food she wants to eat. That will develop a sense of satiety and will avid over-eating.

3 Let them wear their clothes on their own. You may help by suggesting if needed.

4 Let them decide which color of things they want. This helps them develop decision making power.

5 Let them pack their school bag if they forget anything let them face situation so from very young age they become responsible.

6 In school , if they have not completed their homework, please do not call other parents. Instead tell your child to work it with friends or teachers.

7 Never ever sit with your child when he is doing homework . Ask the child to ask for help if needed. That will develop confidence.

8 Whenever you make monthly budget or taxes, involve your child. Discuss your income and expense and the need to save.

9. Let them make their own decisions in set boundary , it develops freedom.

10. Allow them a chance to voice their opinion on weighty matters. They will develop their sense of reasoning.

MOM’S SCHIZOPHRENIA

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ANXIETY IS ABOUT RELIVING A PAST OR ABOUT AN IMAGINED FUTURE.

LIVE in the PRESENT. NOW


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LATEST RESEARCH ON MENTAL ILLNESS

Per a recent UK Research, smoking 20 cigarettes a day is associated with a reduction in life expectancy of eight to ten years.

Now the alarming new: average reduction in life expectancy in people with

· bipolar disorder – between nine and 20 years,

· 10 to 20 years for schizophrenia,

· between 9 and 24 years for drug and alcohol abuse,

· and around seven to 11 years for recurrent depression.

All mental health conditions studied had higher death rates when compared with the general population, with a reduction in life expectancy of between seven and 24 years.

Source: Journal World Psychiatry


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ADHD and Kids

I am increasingly seeing parents concerned that their child is ADHD because he/she is not listening to them. I am concerned with this trend of “labeling” the child for life. Labeling removes the opportunity to prevent and fix problems with non-medicine alternatives rather than resorting to pharma solutions.

The three key symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. These symptoms typically interfere with the child’s functioning in social and academic settings. Children with ADHD have poor focusing and organization skills, which means, among other difficulties, that they have trouble organizing their belongings and tasks.

Parenting a child with true ADHD can pose special challenges but first realize that ADHD is not an end/period but a comma in the child’s life. Many famous, accomplished, and indeed brilliant people of the past and present have had ADHD.

Here is what you can do to Prevent and Manage ADHD:

1. To Prevent

· If you are concerned, communicate with the doctor. If a formal evaluation is needed, this evaluation will involve professionals from various disciplines to provide a comprehensive medical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial evaluation.

· Be Specific to your kids. Avoid vague or open-ended instructions such as “clean up your room” or “Be good”. Break down instructions of larger tasks into simple steps.

2. Avoid

· Inconsistency. Children with ADHD respond well to a defined and predictable system of rewards and consequences.

· Pharma solution as the first step. Kids exhibit different degrees of ADHD and so the care not usually the same. Also most kids on ADHD medicines seem to lose the zest for life. Try parenting changes first.

· Big goals or addressing all behavioral issues at the same time. Set small attainable goals. Focus on one or two challenging behaviors at a time.

· Foods containing color additives like Yellow 5,6 or 13 and Red 3, 40 etc.

3. Follow this care:

· Set an established, while not inflexible, pattern for getting ready in the mornings, preparing for bedtime, and managing after-school homework. It helps the child to know what to expect. It’s very important to stick to the rules and provide fair and consistent rewards and consequences when the household rules are not followed.

· Hang the checklists in a conspicuous place and allow your child to check off completed items as they are done.

· Some parents find that purchasing a second set of textbooks for the home is useful for the child who frequently forgets to bring the proper materials home. They also keep homework space free of external distractions like television and video games.

· Pick a sport (that involve constant activity or motion) and that suits your child and his or her abilities. It is known to help.

· Take away distractions like TV, video games, and cell phones from their bed room. They interfere with sleep, which is critical for ADHD kids

· Avoid soda and caffeine from their diet. Try slight diet changes (gluten free, sugar free etc) to see if they perform better.

· Add Omega-3s to their diet instead. These are found in salmon, walnuts, spinach, broccoli, edamame, flaxseed seem to do good for ADHD.


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NEWFLASH: EARLY TO BED, EARLY TO RISE, MAKES A KID WISE

Late nights and lax bedtime routines can blunt young children’s minds, research suggests.

The findings on sleep patterns and brain power come from a UK study of more than 11,000 seven-year-olds.

Erratic bedtimes were most common at the age of three, when around one in five of the children went to bed at varying times.

By the age of seven, more than half the children had a regular bedtime of between 19:30 and 20:30.

Youngsters who had no regular bedtime or who went to bed later than 21:00 had lower scores for reading and maths.

Overall, children who had never had regular bedtimes tended to fare worse than their peers in terms of test scores for reading, maths and spatial awareness.

The impact was more obvious throughout early childhood in girls than in boys and appeared to be cumulative.

The children with late and erratic bedtimes came from more socially disadvantaged backgrounds and were less likely to be read to each night and, generally, watched more TV – often on a set in their own bedroom.

Sleep experts point to a particular problem due to technology in children’s bedroom – specifically the use of screens on smartphones or laptops late at night.

The take-home message is really that routines really do seem to be important for children.

"Establishing a good bedtime routine early in childhood is probably best, but it’s never too late."

There was no evidence that putting children to bed much earlier than 19:30 added anything in terms of brain power.

Lack of sleep is a serious physical barrier to learning. Research into sleep disorders and brain function has shown the importance of sleep in memory and consolidating information. Without sleep, the brain struggles to absorb and retain ideas.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23223751