DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – As elementary, middle, high school and college students finish up their summer break and prepare to return to school in the fall, now is an important time to make sure their mental and physical health is in good hands.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 50% of mental illnesses begin by age 14, and 75% by age 24. These figures are from before the pandemic, but even today's parents may not be aware of these issues.
Dr. Ravi Johar, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare of Iowa, suggests creating or recreating daily routines, scheduling checkups for children, having open conversations with kids about mental health and encouraging independence at home.
“Make it a normal thing. Recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health, dental health, and vision health,” says Dr. Johal. “When you're sitting at the dinner table asking your kids how they did in school, it's really important to make it a normal part of the conversation. Also, ask them how they're feeling, what they're working on, anything. And share how you're doing. Let your kids know that it's normal to have these conversations.”
While the summer can disrupt habits and routines and make the transition back to school difficult for some, Dr. Ravi Johar, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare of Iowa, suggests making conversations about mental and physical health a regular part of life can be beneficial for both parents and children.
Dr Johal explained that the number of children and young people struggling with mental health is on the rise, but there are key ways to identify if a student is struggling.
“A lot of times, especially with young kids, I think they don't know how to express anxiety, so just watching them and seeing how they're doing and if they suddenly seem to be withdrawing from their normal activities or not finding enjoyment in the things they used to love, I think that's a clue that something's going on. Young kids, especially, aren't very good at expressing anxiety or depression,” says Johar. “I think it's important for parents to bring that out, and having normal, everyday conversations about how they're feeling can make it easier for them to say they're not feeling well or that something is going on.”
Click here to see the dates for the first day of school in our area. For more tips on talking about mental health, visit https://www.uhc.com/.
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