The 11 “action signs” are written in everyday English instead of medical jargon — for example, if a child experiences “sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing.”

The list is endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other groups.

“The child mental health field needed something like what cancer had done” with its seven warning signs for the disease, said Dr. Peter Jensen, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist who led the creation of the action list. “It needed some kind of crisp, easily understood messages that parents, teachers, health care providers could … relate to.” The list seeks to help parents differentiate normal childhood moodiness from abnormal levels of aggression, depression and hyperactivity.

Here are the 11 warning signs parents should watch for:

• Feeling very sad or withdrawn for two or more weeks
• Seriously trying to harm or kill yourself, or making plans to do so
• Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing
• Involved in multiple fights, using a weapon, or wanting badly to hurt others
• Severe, out-of-control behavior that can hurt yourself or others
• Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to make yourself lose weight
• Intensive worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
• Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that puts you in physical danger or causes school failure
• Repeated use of drugs or alcohol
• Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Drastic changes in your behavior or personality

Confusion by parents and doctors is one reason why as many as half of children with serious mental disorders are untreated, according to estimates by the U.S. Surgeon General, and also why some healthy children are misdiagnosed with disorders they don’t have.

“We needed to do something to help flesh out people’s understanding about what it meant when a child really did have a problem,” said Gary Blau, a clinical psychologist with the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “It’s different than just being a phase of sort of the traditional ups and downs of growing up. There is a difference between that and having a significant mental health problem.”

The difference often is when behaviors last for a prolonged period of time or affect other people. “Feeling very sad or withdrawn” isn’t enough, unless it has persisted for at least two weeks. “Severe mood swings” alone aren’t a warning sign on the list unless they “cause problems in relationships.”

The list was tested against children with diagnosed mental disorders to see if it would accurately forecast their conditions. A resulting study found that many of these children wouldn’t be detected by the symptom list. On the other hand, the study found that the list wouldn’t mistakenly identify children whose behaviors were normal pangs of growing up.

“As we wrestled with that, we realized there would be a potential for confusion or even harm if parents were worried when they didn’t need to be worried,” Jensen said. “And so what we did was we erred on the side of making sure that this child really has a problem” if he meets any of the action list criteria.

A report in the journal Pediatrics lists the action signs and the science and psychology behind them. Jensen said the word suicide was replaced with “seriously trying to harm or kill yourself, or making plans to do so,” because parents didn’t necessarily identify the term with children.

The list will make it easier for parents to decide whether to seek help for their children, Jensen said, because they only need to answer “yes or no” to the action signs. They don’t need to evaluate whether their kids meet complex diagnostic criteria for mental disorders.

“If you have five or six or seven things to weigh, decisions are very difficult, but if you have a simple yes-no decision, it becomes much easier,” Jensen said. “That’s what the Cancer Institute did when they created warning signs like 20 pounds of unexplained weight loss” as a predictor of cancer.

Out of 15 authors of the report, Jensen and one other researcher reported financial relationships that could present conflicts of interest. Jensen has been a paid consultant for drugmakers Shire and Janssen-Ortho. While the list could certainly hasten the rate at which children receive psychiatric medication, Jensen said it was not developed with any corporate interests in mind.

Advocates for three national patient organizations spoke in favor of the action list. They said they hope it would make it easier for teachers and doctors to believe parents when they express concerns, and for troubled children to receive faster treatment.

“Children may go as long as 10 years without intervention,” said Ruth Hughes, the chief executive for CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). “Just think about what that timeframe is in a child’s life.”

Article sources:

The “Action Signs” Project – Mayo Clinic Research Institute

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/wellness/132788583.html,

http://www.childrenhealthwizard.com/mayo-clinic-lists-warning-signs-to-help-diagnose-children-with-mental-disorders

Discrimination and stigma have made it harder and harder for people with mental illness to keep a job, secure a home, get health insurance, and find treatment. This site is designed for people living with mental illness—and their friends. You’ll find tools that support the recovery process, information on different types of mental illness, and real-life stories about support and recovery that illustrate how friends can make all the difference.

Recovery is more likely in a society of acceptance, so this initiative is meant to inspire young people to serve as the mental health trailblazers, motivating a shift toward acceptance and getting rid of negative attitudes about mental illness.

Serious mental health conditions in this age group are almost twice as common than in the general population, yet young people have the lowest rate of seeking help. With greater social acceptance and the right support and services early on, this group has the potential to minimize future disability and change the way people deal with mental health conditions.

Please visit http://www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov

Website visitors can:

• Learn about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options;
• Get tips on managing ADHD at home, school and work;
• Watch a “Fireside Chat” video series of leading psychiatrists discussing the condition;
• Read personal stories about living with and managing ADHD;
• Keep up with current ADHD research; and
• Much more.

Check out the new ADHD Online Resource Center at www.nami.org/adhd.

The workshop will focus on understanding how trauma affects children. Attendees will improve their ability to communicate with children who have experienced trauma, learn ways to reduce the stress of parenting a traumatized child, and learn skills and techniques to influence children’s behavior and attitudes.

One of the organizers, Kelly Sauter, BSW, Northern Lakes CMH Children’s Case Manager, explained that, “This training stems from a statewide effort to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for traumatized children and their families. Our hope is to create a community of trauma informed foster parents who can serve as a resource to individuals interacting with traumatized youth.”

Another organizer, Donna Van Brocklin, Services Specialist and Licensing Consultant for the Crawford County Department of Human Services, said, “We find that all children who come into the foster care system have experienced some type of trauma, whether it is from the neglect and/or abuse they have experienced or just from being removed from their family and home. It is important for foster parents to have the knowledge and skills to be able to help these children while they are placed in their home. At this time, Crawford County has 23 foster homes that do an excellent job helping foster children deal with the emotions and feelings they are experiencing and sometimes the behaviors that come along with these. This training will help foster parents and relatives that are helping out as caregivers to add more skills to their bag of tools.”

This project is funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

For additional information call Kelly Sauter at Northern Lakes Community Mental Health at (989) 344-3009 or Donna Van Brocklin at Crawford County DHS at (989) 344-5126.

In Houghton Lake and Grayling, there will be coloring contests and essay contests, with gift card prizes donated by staff. In addition, there will be healthy snacks and water in the lobby, also donated by staff, as giveaways.

In Cadillac, there will also be goodies in the lobby all week, including balloons, stickers, coloring books, pencils, snacks, and children’s activity and coloring sheets.

Staff will also be giving away green ribbons (with flyers explaining the significance of the color green – new life, new growth, new beginnings), positive buttons, and temporary tattoos.

Tomorrow, the Cadillac Wexford Public Library will be having a storytime on “feelings“ for toddlers aged 3 to 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

This event has only been possible because of the work and support of several different businesses and organizations in our community in an effort to try to assist residents in knowing the services available in our community and to strengthen our physical, mental and financial health.

Some of the highlights include a FREE spaghetti lunch (from 11:00 to 1:00), Child Car Seat safety inspections, the Yellow Jug Program for safe disposal of unused/unwanted prescription medications, and a mercury thermometer exchange for a new digital one.

Kids will enjoy an “up close and personal” view of several different emergency and rescue vehicles to include fire trucks, ambulances, a rollover simulator and the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad truck and equipment.

Many different organizations will also be there with information about services, including Northern Lakes Community Mental Health!

At the same time, there will be a Household Hazardous Waste collection by the Crawford County Environmental Department in the Courthouse parking lot, located at 200 Michigan Avenue. Details are provided in this Household Hazardous Waste Collection Flyer.

With funding from the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant, we are fortunate to be able to address suicide in our own communities!

Crawford and Roscommon Counties were one of eight local grantees awarded funding through September of 2012. During this grant it will be a priority to build a local suicide prevention coalition, write a prevention plan, and move towards educating the community on what to do if they fear someone they love is at risk for suicide.

Nicole Ellens has been hired as the Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator to head this effort.

Since March, Ellens has been contacting and meeting people throughout the community to form a suicide prevention coalition to meet regularly and formulate a strategy to combat suicide in Crawford and Roscommon Counties. The coalition met in March and April and has established a monthly meeting schedule for the remainder of 2010.

Agencies represented on the coalition thus far are as follows: Michigan State Police, Houghton Lake Schools, Roscommon Schools, Grayling Schools, Second Chance Academy, Kirtland College, COOR ISD, School Based Health Center, Great Start Collaborative, Mercy Hospital, Mid-Michigan Health Park, Northern Lakes Community Mental Health, Crawford County Family Court, Department of Human Services, Grace Center, Third Level Crisis Center, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, Commission on Aging, Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative, and MSU Extension.

Throughout the next few months this new group will begin to compose a suicide prevention plan, outlining goals, activities and desirable outcomes for the community. They will look at current community data on suicide, suicide attempts and self-harmful behavior as a way to assess progress and changes throughout the area.

To ensure that there are key persons throughout the community with suicide intervention skills, about 45 members of the coalition will become trained in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) in late August of this year. ASIST is a two-day, intensive training on how to confidently and competently intervene on someone’s behalf when they elicit suicidal talk or behaviors. The group will also look at suicide prevention programs to implement in the local schools to educate youth on how to recognize signs of depression, which adults they can go to in times of need, how to stay healthy, and the importance of not keeping secrets about suicide when their friend or family member discloses suicidal intent to them.

Ellens said, “Having only been operational for three months, it is evident that Crawford and Roscommon counties will be taking big steps towards creating a healthier community for its citizens. Through education, awareness and intervention we hope to instill that suicide is preventable and each of us have a role to play.“

For more information on how you might become involved, contact Nicole Ellens at 989-366-1105 or email Nicole.Ellens@NLCMH.org.

Parents and family members are usually the first to notice if a child has problems with emotions or behavior. Your observations, along with those of teachers and other caregivers, may lead you to seek help for your child. If you suspect a problem or have questions, consult your pediatrician or contact a mental health professional.

Fear & Anxiety

Signs of Fear

Where to Seek Help

The Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health declares the first week in May as National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme for the week of May 3-7, 2010 is “Promoting Positive Mental Health from Birth to Adulthood.”

To combat stigma, advocates and community members may be seen wearing green ribbons to signify new growth, new life and new beginnings.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders among children. With suicide being the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24, it is imperative that children are taught ways to stay mentally healthy as well as being treated for possible mental health concerns.

Along with early intervention, developing coping strategies to help children and teens combat daily stressors is essential to maintaining positive mental health. The following suggestions are ways in which we can take control of stress to develop healthy strategies for staying healthy.

Relax: Relaxation is important. It’s easy to forget to take time for ourselves when things get stressful, but finding healthy activities can help you relax plus they are often easy to do and don’t cost a thing. Put time aside to do some of these activities with your children and see which ones work best for you: go for a walk and take time to point out things around you, go fishing, take a bike ride, play a favorite game or sport, do a puzzle, read books, listen to music they like, paint, color or draw, sit quietly and tell each other about what happened that day.

Help others: Having opportunities for generosity helps so that we don’t focus exclusively on our own problems. Youth can get involved in the community through volunteering at an organization or by helping neighbors, family members or school mates. There are usually no financial benefits to volunteering but often times it is a positive meaningful experience in other ways such as: learning or developing a new skill, providing a sense of achievement, locating possible new interests or hobbies, meeting new people, and possibly boosting future career options.

Positive Peer Support: Teach your child how to form positive relationships by helping them recognize qualities to look for in a good friend. According to SAMHSA, children who feel isolated and want to be accepted are often more prone to succumb to peer pressures by using tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs. Visit www.family.samhsa.gov/teach/ to find more information on how to help your child choose their friends wisely.

These are just a few ways in which we can help our children develop positive mental health and coping strategies they can take with them from adolescence to adulthood. Explore how your family can build healthy activities into your daily routine and wear a green ribbon this month to remind you of the importance of children’s mental health.

Here’s what Dr. Frieden had to say:

The MMWR study outlines 36 deaths that were among the first deaths among children in this country.  In two-thirds of those, the child had at least one severe underlying illness or underlying disability, actually, rather than illness, in most of the cases – cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, long-standing respiratory or cardiac problems.  So, most of the children who had fatal H1N1 infection this past spring had an underlying condition.

We have been working closely with pediatrics societies, with parent groups and others to ensure that, for example, children with special needs, children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, other developmental disabilities, are promptly treated if they develop fever in flu season and are at the front of the line for flu vaccination when it becomes available.

We also are recommending that all people with underlying conditions get vaccinated, people who have asthma, diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, neuromuscular conditions, neurological conditions that increase their risk factors and women who are pregnant.

If children have underlying conditions – and two-thirds of the children in this report had conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy – it’s very important that they be treated promptly.  And if a child is severely ill, if they’re having trouble breathing, if their fever comes back after it went away, if they are having difficulty keeping fluids down, then it’s very important to get treated promptly.

For more information click on any of the highlighted links above and go to flu.gov.