To best help our kids, we have to normalize talking about mental health

In December, the Surgeon General released an advisory about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of children and adolescents. The report brought attention to something pediatric providers have long been seeing firsthand – the kids in this country are in crisis.

From 2007 to 2018, we saw a 60% increase in the rate of suicide among those ages 10 to 24 years old. It’s now the second-leading cause of death for this age group. Since the start of the pandemic, 200,000 children have lost a caregiver to COVID-19. Not all caregivers are parents – many are grandparents. What Kentucky is going to look like in 10 years depends a lot on what happens now to people in their 60s and 70s.

Providers aren’t just seeing suicide and suicide ideation – we’re also seeing an increase in eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Black children under the age of 13 are twice as likely to die by suicide than their white peers. And the death rate among Black children has increased faster than any other racial or ethnic group.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) signed on with other children’s hospitals around the country to sound the alarm on child mental health. We need to work together to reduce the stigma and have conversations about mental health.

Talking about mental health can be hard, especially if it is new for your family. Some parents blame themselves. This is a normal feeling. The important thing is that you work with your child to get them the help that you need. If your child needs counseling, it is often helpful for parents to be involved. Many therapists can suggest ways to support your child at home in addition to their therapy appointments.

In the Surgeon General’s report, he addresses the need for health care reform to not only provide counseling services, but also changes to the payer situation so that families have coverage for that type of care. The KCH adolescent clinic is busier than it’s ever been, and we are working to expand mental health services across our hospital.

KCH also has partnerships around the state with education and community organizations, but the first step in addressing this crisis to have the difficult conversations and recognize that mental health is an essential part of overall health.

If you suspect you child is struggling with their mental health, talk with them. Ask them specifically how they are feeling, if they are feeling sad, if their feelings are hurt, or if they are worried about something. Sit together as a family and have dinner, talk before bed or before school. Even if it’s just 15 minutes, you can use that time to catch up and know what’s going on in your kids’ lives.

If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, talk their child’s pediatrician, or contact our adolescent medicine clinic. There resources on our site that can assist parents in finding support for their children. Adolescence is a pivotal time in your child’s physical, mental and emotional development, and the changes they go through now can impact their overall long-term health.

Scottie B. Day, M.D., is physician-in-chief, Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Mandakini Sadhir, M.D., interim chief, division of adolescent medicine at KCH and Meghan Marsac, Ph.D., is a pediatric psychologist at KCH.