Healthier Together: Helping kids with their mental health

SPONSORED CONTENT

This content is from our sponsor.

Recent studies show children have been greatly impacted by the pandemic and there's been a sharp increase in the number of kids needing mental health treatment.

As the school year comes to a close and kids head into summer, Executive Medical Director Dr. Jim Polo of Regence BlueShield is sharing some tips to help children, teens and young adults during these uncertain times.

According to Dr. Polo, 15% of youth ages 12-17 have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.

More than one-third of high school students reported poor mental health during the pandemic and 44% reported feeling sad or hopeless during the past year, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

So what are some of the warning signs that a child is dealing with mental health issues?

"If a child is appearing sad, tired, withdrawn that could be an indicator they are depressed, but if they are anxious, angry or overwhelmed that can be a sign of anxiety," said Dr. Polo. "Sometimes a child will not feel well, complain of headaches or stomach aches, or just tell you that they don’t want to go to school. And sometimes they will misbehave, so they’ll break rules and not follow directions and that can be an indicator of emotionally struggling,"

Dr. Polo says it's important for kids to maintain a daily routine, exercise each day, drink lots of water, stick to a healthy diet, and consider fun activities like summer camps and classes.

If your child or teenager is struggling emotionally, talk to your doctor - or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text HELLO to 741741.

SPONSORED CONTENT

This content is from our sponsor.