Fredericksburg Parent

30 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • December 2021 WRITTEN BY EMILY FREEHLING In October, three major children's health organizations declared children's mental health a national emergency. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children's Hospital Association says the disruptions wrought by the pandemic have worsened what were already troubling trends for the mental health of America's youth. "Rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide rose steadily between 2010 and 2020 and by 2018 suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24," the coalition wrote. "The pan- demic has intensified this crisis: across the country we have witnessed dramatic increases in Emergency Department visits for all mental health emergencies including suspected suicide attempts." These trends bear out locally, as both outpatient and crisis services pro- viders who serve children and families through the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB) report seeing an increase in refer- rals of children experiencing heightened anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. "We've definitely caught up to what we anticipated to be this backlog of kids from the pandemic, and it is happening at a really high rate now where we are seeing a lot of kids in crisis," says Kari Norris, Emergency Services Coordinator with RACSB. Norris and her colleague Katie Barnes, Spotsylvania County Clinic Coordinator, say parents play a key role in helping children with mental health struggles reach positive outcomes. Whether your child is thriv- ing, or in the midst of a mental health crisis, it is never too late to take a more proactive approach toward your family's emotional health. Here are some strategies to keep in mind. Normalize talking about emotions Establishing an open channel for your child to name and discuss their emotions sets a strong foundation for mental health. Make sure emotions aren't something to hide in your household, and model healthy ways of expressing them. You can do this with simple dinner conversa- tions, like naming the high and low points of your days around the table. Norris says even the simple practice of regularly observing your child's behaviors and reactions sets a strong baseline for spotting issues that may arise. "Therapy 101 is saying what you see. If you see your child is more withheld and stay- ing in their room, discuss your observation," she says. "You're not assigning a feeling or blame; you are just making an observation. That makes people feel validated because they feel seen. If you are experiencing any kind of mental-health distress, feeling valida- tion is pretty high up on the needs pyramid." While it's natural for parents to want to jump immediately into problem-solving mode, Barnes and Norris stress the importance of being able to sit with the big feelings your children express. "We come in as parents and try to fix it. Sometimes it can come off as minimizing those feelings," Barnes says. "A lot of times kids just need to be seen and heard and vali- dated." Parents are Key to Children's Mental Health Sponsored Material RACSB offers practical tips for supporting and helping your child

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