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.
National Poison Prevention Week, the third week in March each year, is a week nationally designated to highlight the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. However, every day people can and do prevent poisonings. We invite you to review the information compiled by the Poison Prevention Week Council and become actively involved in helping ensure the safety of children and adults in your home and your community.
February 28 – March 6, 2010 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. If you are an individual living with an eating disorder (such as anorexia or bulima), a family member, or a friend looking to offer support to a loved one, or a treatment professional looking to help others, check out the National Eating Disorders Association for information. You’ll find a downloadable survival guide, a document on insurance issues, stories of hope, things parents can do to help prevent eating disorders in their children, and much more.
Dr. Thomas Frieden, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave a press briefing in which he talked about the H1N1 flu and an increased risk for complications and death for children with developmental disabilities. We think this is important so we are including the information here.
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.
ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families, has a web-based, interactive learning tool designed to help parents and caregivers support their young children’s early learning. You’ll find age-based information on how children develop the four key skills–language and literacy skills, thinking skills, self-confidence and self-control–that are critical to later school success. Click here to access the School Readiness Interactive portion of the site.
There’s a new playgroup on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. starting on October 14, sponsored by the C.O.O.R. Intermediate School District Great Start program, one of our community partners.
It is free for all Roscommon County families with children age birth to 5 years old and will be held at the CRAF Center. Contact Playgroup Facilitator Heidi LaPrad at 989-275-9537 with any questions.
I was recently asked to attend the Crawford County Commissioners’ meeting with Mary Hubbard and Greg Paffhouse. I was asked to discuss the system of care, etc. I felt very privileged to be asked to speak to this group of people.
As the parent of a child with serious emotional issues, I feel like I am forever seeking out different resources to try to help him and our family through our daily struggles. The idea of a system of care where all groups work together would be so beneficial. As I explained to the commissioners, my hopes and dreams for my son are very basic. In fact, I spend many sleepless nights wondering, “Who will take care of my son? Who will make sure he is okay as an adult? How will he support himself? Who will be his friend? Where will he live, who will protect him?,” etc., etc. If all agencies involved could come together, brainstorm, and circle our family with support, it seems we could cover more areas that are possibly being missed by jumping from agency to agency, etc. I’m sure we could address more issues and find more resources.
The Crawford County Commissioners were very interested in the system of care as well as the struggles families have that are parents of children with disabilities. They were supportive of CMH, and wanted to help move forward to find as many resources as possible. By attending this meeting with my son, I feel it gave the commissioners a sample of an actual family that desperately needs the support CMH gives and I feel they also realized that there is always more that can be done to help families. CMH explained they are constantly trying to find ways to do more for families and I think it was an eye opener for the commissioners. I appreciate the opportunity to attend this meeting, and I appreciate the support I receive from CMH.
You will have to take your child out of school for some appointments. For the initial evaluation, you will most likely have to bring the child during their usual school day. If your child receives psychiatric services, the appointments also are during the school day.
Other therapy and case management appointments are more flexible as far as time. All therapists, case managers, and wraparound facilitators work some evening hours so they can accommodate family needs for after-school and after-work times.
Speak with the therapist or case manager and let them know of your need for an after-school or after-work time appointment. You may also be able to work out an early morning before-school appointment. You may not be able to have all of your appointments at those times, but the therapist can work with you on a schedule to have some of your appointments outside of school time.
If you have difficulty scheduling according to your needs, you may also ask to speak with the customer service department which can help address this. The Northern Lakes CMH Customer Services representatives may be reached by calling 1-800-337-8598.
When a therapist or case manager evaluates the child’s condition and reaches the opinion that it is medically necessary for a child to see a psychiatrist, the therapist or case manager discusses it with the parent. In those situations, most often there is a belief that medication may be helpful to the child. If the parent agrees, an appointment for a psychiatric evaluation occurs. In that assessment the psychiatrist will decide if medication could be helpful. The psychiatrist will discuss the options with the parent or guardian and together they will decide whether or not to begin medication.
Sometimes the parent and psychiatrist do not come to a decision on that visit, but rather the psychiatrist sends additional information home with the parent to consider and they schedule a follow-up visit where the parent will relate their decision.
The psychiatrist will talk with the parent about the risks with the medication, as well as the risk in not using medication. Ultimately it is the parent’s decision. If the parent decides not to have the child receive medication, further appointments with the psychiatrist will not be scheduled.
To combat stigma, advocates and community members may be seen wearing green ribbons to signify new growth, new life and new beginnings.
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