Stressors from the pandemic and a rising number of mental illness diagnoses among children have prompted pediatricians to say the kids’ mental health is a national emergency. Clinical Psychologist with LSU Health New Orleans Doctor Michelle Moore anticipates things will even worsen once the pandemic eases.
“But I think once it’s finally stable, the concern is how people will come out of that stressful time once stability is reached and we aren’t in a stable place yet,” said Moore.
Emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts were up 51% between February and March of this year compared to the same period in 2019. Moore said social media and isolation are contributing factors.
“Increased time on electronic devices, spending more time alone in your room, less socialization is why we’re seeing this increase in mental health issues,” said Moore.
Moore encourages school leaders to provide more social and emotional learning instruction so children are able to communicate their feels and can learn proper conflict resolution techniques.
She also advises parents to ask their children more than just how they are doing and have a conversation about how they are feeling. And also find out what type of social media site your children are interacting with.
“Parents need to be intricately involved in understanding how their children are using and engaging in technology,” said Moore.
Moore also points out that if parents are having difficulty coping themselves, they should also seek help because their struggle sets an example of how their children should also manage stress.
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