Emotional & Mental Wellness Archives - Nemours Blog

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Emotional & Mental Wellness

teenage girl having psychotherapy session at psychologist's office

Finding Hope: Leah’s Journey with Dialectical Behavior Therapy

When Leah was 16, she couldn’t think of a single reason to live. Leah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes the previous summer, and since then, she and her parents had been constantly fighting about what she ate, her diabetes care, and how she spent her time. Leah started cutting herself to cope with the stress of her diagnosis and her relationship with her parents. Things only seemed to get worse. She felt like she couldn’t really trust the few friends that she had, and she seemed to always be fighting with her peers and teachers. When her girlfriend broke up with her, she decided she was “done.” Leah was hospitalized after an overdose, but during her inpatient stay, she was introduced to a psychologist from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. This psychologist suggested that Leah might benefit from participating in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, one of the few interventions proven helpful […]

Training the Next Generation of Pediatric Mental Health Providers:

Fellows Share Their Challenges and Triumphs  For Mycah Ayala-Brittain, volunteering in her mother’s special education classroom was her first opportunity to learn how professionals collaborate to meet the needs of children. The classroom had teachers, teaching assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and medical personnel that collaborated to provide individualized care to support children with behavioral health needs.   Throughout her education, Mycah learned about the barriers that families face accessing quality health care. These experiences led her to pursue a doctorate in psychology, expanding her knowledge and allowing her to provide culturally sensitive mental health care. At Nemours Children’s Health, Mycah has had the chance to explore multiple behavioral health settings, further growing and strengthening her skills within an integrated health care system.   When Martisha Brown was growing up in Delaware, she felt like she didn’t have the counseling support she needed. High school brought about challenges, […]

Navegando la Salud Mental de los Jovenes

La Dra. Monica Barreto destaca la importancia de la conexión mente-cuerpo y el papel vital de los padres en el apoyo a la salud mental de sus hijos.

Navigating Youth Mental Health

Dr. Monica Barreto highlights the importance of the mind-body connection and the vital role of parents in supporting youth mental health.

Panel at Nemours Children’s Hospital Discusses Teen Mental Health and Social Media

Delaware students Maxine and Vivian Ruggerio aren’t immune to the allure of social media.  But they also believe that most teens are struggling to navigate the online world. From perfectly edited images to overtures from strangers, social media presents a minefield of challenging issues.  The sisters are working on an e-book to provide tips to teens who want to protect their mental health and personal safety while online. As they researched their book, they conducted a survey of peers, discovering that 100% of their respondents used social media. More than half said social media made them feel stressed or bad about themselves. And more than half felt that more controls are needed, such as added privacy or safety features.  Maxine and Vivian joined psychologists from Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware in a recent panel discussion on teen mental health and social media. Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings; Delaware State Rep. Krista […]

The Journey to Overcome: PJ’s Story

PJ’s inspiring story sheds light on the impact of bullying and the importance of mental health awareness. Follow his path from a shocking assault to resilience and recovery, guided by dedicated professionals and a loving family.

How to Avoid Putting Too Much Pressure on Kids

How to Avoid Putting Too Much Pressure on Kids

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 […]

Tips for Needle Anxiety

Tips for Needle Anxiety

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: 10 Things Parents Need to Know

Squid Game: 10 Things Parents Need to Know

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 […]

Depression Screening in Primary Care, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Depression Screening in Primary Care – Why It’s Essential

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 […]

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