Childhood mental illness: Placing our children before self

During this holiday season many families will come together to celebrate the joy and thanksgiving that they share. For many families saddled with the suffering and agony of having a child with mental illness, their enjoyment will be stifled; to say the least.

Many of them do not understand, or even want to believe, that their child has a mental illness; and only one-third of those children will be given treatment for their condition, many of them will never seek treatment at all for their child?they often place their selves above their children.

Recent studies released this month by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the United States Department of Health include statistics which tell us childhood mental illness is present in our society in as much as 20 percent of the population of children; from pre-school through adolescence.

What is most significant is the information that tells us that as much as 10 percent of pre-school children, between the ages of 1 to 6 have the symptoms of mental illness; the diagnosis being attention ? deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, and disorders tied to sleeping and feeding.

Recent research conducted by Ian Coleman, Ph.D., Canada Research Chair in mental health epidemiology and associate professor at the University of Ottawa;

in studies conducted longitudinal studies of children between 2 and 5 years of age, and followed to their ages of 16 and 17.

The results of their studies suggests that there are many of these pre-school and early ?school children develop symptoms of mental illness and associated behaviors as a result of the Mothers having pre and post-partum depression, and their associated negative behaviors after the child is born, i.e. Drug and/or alcohol abuse, violence, etc.

The lack of parental support and treatment was most evident in the study; not providing appropriate support and treatment for possible maternal mental illness may have consequences for their children? placing their children before self. Although Dr. Coleman's studies were conducted with Canadian youth, it tells us much of what we should know about the youth in our society.

Further research conducted by Dr. Catherine Label, PhD. With the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, suggests that higher levels prenatally and postpartum have been linked to the thinning of the cerebral cortex in young children. "We found an association between brain structure in the kids and maternal depressive symptoms," she states. "So, while we cannot say the depressive symptoms cause this, there is definitely something different structurally in the brains of kids whose moms were more depressed. We know that prenatal and postpartum depression in moms has negative consequences for kids in terms of things like behavior and learning, and in fact, the kids have higher risks of mental health problems themselves, so the brain structure is of interest because in can tell us a little bit about potential mechanisms, help us understand why maternal depression is associated with such outcomes in kids."

As mentioned previously in this article, the aforementioned studies were conducted in Canada, but say much about the conditions existing in our Nation as well. Young children are most susceptible to the events taking place in their immediate environment; and with their growing brain they are limited in just what they may learn at an early age.

Often parents and other care givers do not keep this in mind in their interaction with young children?often times they are viewed and treated as "young adults." They are told such statements as "grow up," and other language that is really beyond their understanding; without taking into account the developmental characteristics of the child.

It is quite evident that young children are exploring their new world, developing their brain, and their behaviors reflect this; especially in the "curtain climbing" phase at about age two, which they will generally grow out of. Yet, we also know when they become very overactive or underactive and present with developmental and mental health problems.

Early childhood intervention is most important when the child begins to display adverse mental health symptomology; which is not often the case?often not being noticed until the child reaches age 12 and up. The results of the National Surveys on Drug Use And Health of the U.S, released just this month, shows a substantial increase in the prevalence of Major Depression among adolescence and young adults; jumping a whopping 37 percent during the period of 2004 to 2014; translating to more than one-half million young people. With this increase it was also noted that incidents of suicide have also risen dramatically.

Although traditionally the treatment for children with Mental Disorders has been medication (although prescribing medication to younger children has always been in question), recent research and practice conducted in the past few years have been most successful in treatment. According to Michael Yogman, MD, of the Academy of pediatrics (AAP), in a recently released statement; evidenced based family-focused therapy has proven benefits for emotional, behavioral and relationship problems among young children, but few get the interventions.

He states, "Behavioral concerns in early childhood are one of the most common concerns at pediatric office visits, and we now have evidenced-based treatments that are likely to show long-term improvements in children's behavior, development, school performance and health." It is further noted that when left untreated, behavioral disorders can have long-lasting effects including brain function abnormalities and persistent emotional problems.

Many families, however, do not have access to treatment for the disorders because of their location, a shortage of providers, insurance barrier; and some place their own personal needs ahead of their children.

Although we are most fortunate in our Valley communities to have early intervention treatment providers; approximately 70 percent of those families with the problems will not use them; only when the problems erupt into the extreme, e.g. alcohol beverage use and abuse, illicit substance use/abuse, acting out in violence, etc?.that family members will seek help, and most often it is too late to do so as the traits have already set in. Don't you believe that our children should always come before self? Until next time, Stay Healthy My Friends!