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The Importance of Childhood Mental Health

Each year, Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week is a time to spread awareness and promote the importance of youth mental health. The early implementation of good mental health practices can lead to long-term cognitive health. NewPath Child and Family Solutions ignites hope and changes futures by providing access to and results from expert, specialized, and comprehensive trauma-informed care. Support the mental well-being of our community youth by investing in services that answer the growing mental and behavioral health needs.

NewPath’s community-based outpatient mental health services play an intricate part in our continuum of care. Diagnostic assessment, pharmacological management, community psychiatric and support treatment, behavioral health therapy, and transition-age youth services provide an opportunity to assist youth at any level of need. To more fully understand the needs of our community, NewPath analyzed the top diagnoses of our clients during the 2022 calendar year.

Keeping in mind that many of our clients can exhibit multiple disorders, out of the 2,859 total diagnoses:

• 33% (946) of youth were diagnosed with ADHD
• 18% (532) of youth were diagnosed with PTSD or other Stress Disorders
• 12% (370) of youth were diagnosed with Anxiety Disorders
• 11% (337) of youth were diagnosed with Conduct Disorders
• 10% (294) of youth were diagnosed with Depression
• 2% (73) of youth were diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
• 2% (72) of youth were diagnosed with Sleep Disorders such as Insomnia

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Children & teens with ADHD display symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity & impulsiveness.

Inattentiveness Signs & Symptoms

• Has a short attention span, easily distracted
• Makes careless mistakes
• Appears forgetful, loses things
• Unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
• Appears unable to listen to or carry out instructions
• Constantly changes activity or task
• Has difficulty organizing tasks

Hyperactivity/Impulsiveness Signs & Symptoms

• Unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
• Constantly fidgets
• Unable to concentrate on tasks
• Excessive physical movement and talking
• Unable to wait their turn
• Acts without thinking
• Interrupts conversations often
• Has little or no sense of danger

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support ADHD Youth

• Maintain a positive attitude, focus on their successes
• Create and maintain a structure/routine
• Clearly communicate rules and expectations, consistency is key
• Encourage regular movement and sleep
• Focus on modeling good social skills
• Engage help from the school, see what accommodations they can offer

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) & Stress Disorders

Children & teens with Stress Disorders experience severe levels of stress that can affect them long-term.

PTSD/Stress Disorder Signs & Symptoms

• Relives the trauma over and over in thoughts/play
• Nightmares and sleep problems
• Very upset by triggers
• Lacks positive emotions
• Intense ongoing fear or sadness
• Irritability, angry outbursts
• Constantly looks for danger, easily startled
• Acts helpless, hopeless or withdrawn
• Denial of trauma, numbness
• Avoidance of trauma-related people/places

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support PTSD & Stress Disorder Youth

• Help the child feel safe and be able to relax
• Do things together that you both enjoy
• Reassure and support the child
• Identify and help navigate trauma triggers
• Remain calm and control your emotions
• Create consistency in their daily life
• Encourage them and boost their self-esteem

Anxiety Disorders

Children & teens with Anxiety Disorders can have a variety of symptoms based on illness length, support system, and the specific disorder. The most common Anxiety Disorders are Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Separation Anxiety, and Phobia-Specific Disorders.

Anxiety Disorder Signs & Symptoms

• Restlessness, muscle tension
• Easily fatigued, sleep disturbances
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability, feeling on edge
• Chest pain, sweating, dizziness, choking feeling, GI distress (Panic Disorder)
• Excessive worry about loved ones, avoidance of separating activities (Separation Anxiety)
• Avoidance and fear of school or other social activities (Social Anxiety)
• Sweaty palms, distress triggered by specific occurrences/objects (Phobias)

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support Anxiety Disorder Youth

• Talk openly about their worries and fears
• Show understanding, really listen
• Be supportive, not controlling
• Help build and develop coping skills
• Be a positive role model, promote healthy habits
• Do relaxation and grounding techniques together
• Promote the importance of good sleep and hygiene

Conduct Disorders

Children & teens can develop Conduct Disorders through brain damage, trauma, abuse, or genetics. It is more common among males than females, and in homes that are disadvantaged, dysfunctional and/or disorganized.

Conduct Disorder Signs & Symptoms

• Bullying or threatening behavior
• Physical aggression, cruelty toward people/animals
• Fire-setting
• Skipping or avoiding school, breaking curfew
• Trespassing, vandalism
• Lying, cheating, stealing
• Emotionally or physically abusive behaviors
• Issues feeling or expressing remorse
• Risk-taking behavior
• Trouble excelling in school/studies
• Early sexual activity

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support Conduct Disorder Youth

• Educate yourself
• Clearly communicate rules, expectations, and consequences
• Be consistent and always follow through
• Support the child with any additional mental health disorders, co-existing conditions are common
• Practice treatment goals and strategies at home
• Be patient and present
• Practice and model self-care

Depression, Self-Injury & Suicidal Thoughts

Children & teens with Depression suffer from a mood disorder similar to grief that doesn’t lessen over time. This disorder is not always tied to a triggering event or trauma. Adolescent sufferers may experience difficulty explaining how or why they feel a certain way.

Depression Signs & Symptoms

• Spends most of their time alone
• Issues sleeping or sleeping too much
• Trouble focusing or making choices
• Struggles in school
• Changes in weight
• Talks less, less eye contact
• Spends more time using media
• Little to no energy or motivation
• Cries often and feels sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt
• Lack of personal hygiene or grooming
• Not caring about the future

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support Depressed Youth

• Talk openly with the child
• Educate yourself on the disorder and coping mechanisms
• Explain that the hopeless feelings are a symptom and not reality
• Focus on their strengths and successes
• Encourage healthy habits and good sleep
• Pay attention to sudden mood changes

Bipolar Disorders

Children & teens with Bipolar Disorder may have manic, depressive, or “mixed emotion” episodes.

Manic Episode Signs & Symptoms

• Intense happiness or silliness for long periods of time
• Very short temper or extremely irritable
• Talk fast about a lot of different things
• Trouble sleeping but feels well rested
• Trouble focusing, racing thoughts
• Overly interested or involved in risky activities
• Risky or reckless behavior
• Inflated sense of ability, knowledge, and power

Depressive Episode Signs & Symptoms

• Frequent and unprovoked sadness
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
• Complain a lot about physical pain, stomachaches and headaches
• Sleeping a lot more
• Difficulty concentrating
• Hopelessness and worthlessness
• Difficulty communicating or maintaining relationships
• Eat too much or too little
• Low energy and no interest in their activities
• Thoughts of death or suicide

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support Bipolar Disorder Youth

• Be patient
• Encourage the child to talk
• Actively listen to the child
• Monitor the child’s moods, note any major changes
• Understand triggers and learn strategies for managing intense emotions
• Help the child to have fun
• Remember, treatment takes time

Insomnia & Sleep Disorders

Children & teens with Sleep Disorders can develop additional behavioral and mental health concerns. Many youth have sleep issues as a result of trauma, poor routines, or both co-existing mental health disorders.

Sleep Disorder Signs & Symptoms

• Snoring, breathing pauses during sleep
• Trouble falling asleep
• Problems sleeping through the night
• Trouble staying awake during the day
• Trouble waking up in the morning
• Unexplained decrease in daytime performance
• Unusual events during sleep like sleepwalking or nightmares
• Teeth grinding
• Bedwetting
• Restless sleep

After seeking professional help from a licensed healthcare provider, there is a lot you can do to support the diagnosed children & teens in your care.

Ways to Support Sleep Disorder Youth

• Implement a regular bedtime, stick to the routine
• Practice soothing bedtime rituals
• Avoid food or drink less than 6 hours before bed
• Minimize household noises
• Keep after-dinner playtime low-energy
• Remove all electronic devices and distractions from the child’s room
• Work with licensed professionals to address any trauma or disorders that cause the sleep issues