ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Emotional & Mental Wellness

The Nemours KidsHealth survey shows that while social media can be helpful in managing worries for some kids, it can also have the opposite effect.

Through our Raising Resilient Kids series, we’re hoping to help parents by offering free, trusted, expert answers.

We all want our kids to succeed, to be happy, and for things to go smoothly. It’s hard to see our kids let down, or disappointed, but as we just saw in the Olympics, disappointment and let down happen to even the most talented of humans. Instead of protecting our kids from feeling frustrated, or failing, or being disappointed, we should be encouraging it! Learning how to navigate tough feelings, especially feelings we know will occur throughout their lives, is important for kids. And parents can help! Let Things Go Wrong As hard as it may be, the first step to helping kids learn what to do when things go wrong is — let things go wrong. These can be simple things like: not forcing them to practice a sport more when they have a game the next day not bringing the homework they forgot to school even if it […]

With the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine approved for ages 5-11, there are going to be a lot more young and brave individuals stepping up to receive their shots. But what about those who have trouble with the thought of coming face to face with a needle? Even though it may seem scary, the more people that receive the vaccine, the closer we get to herd immunity. Here are some tips and tricks to ease the fear of needles. Distract yourself while you’re waiting. Bring along a game, book, music, or movie — something you’ll get completely caught up in so you’re not sitting in the waiting room thinking about the shot. Some doctors’ offices schedule “shot clinics” where they do nothing but give shots so the wait time is shorter. Concentrate on taking slow, deep breaths. Breathe all the way down into your belly. Deep breathing can help people relax — and concentrating on […]

Squid Game. The latest Netflix/internet obsession. After admittedly watching the series myself (spurred by patients asking about it), there are a few things parents should know. There is enough violence, ethical dilemmas, and other mature content to draw a hard line: your young children should absolutely not watch this show. Still, teachers and schools are reporting kids emulating Squid Game at recess and in the classroom. The show itself is rated mature (17+). Teens of all ages, however, are likely to watch it or hear about it. Keep these things in mind as you navigate their viewing:  Watch Squid Game, or at least one episode, before you allow your teens to view it. You should be prepared, minimally, to have conversations about the difficult topics and those are easier to navigate when you have seen the content as well. If you are a parent of younger kids, keep them in […]

Rates of mental health concerns among adolescents, including depression and suicidal thoughts, have risen substantially in recent years. Studies have also shown that the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. has disproportionately affected people with low socioeconomic status, as well as Black, Indigenous, and Latino people, all of whom have experienced higher rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. According to suicide.org, about 20 percent of all teens experience depression before they reach adulthood, but only about 30 percent of teens are being treated for their symptoms. Pediatric primary care is an important setting for routine mental health screening among adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends universal screening by primary care providers for all patients 12 years of age and older at their annual well visits. Depression screenings are important because signs can often be missed if they are not obvious to untrained individuals.  Kids who are in distress often […]