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Mental Health Tips for Parents of Teens and Young Adults
Special to The Truth
If you are the parent of
an older child or teen, you may not think about his or her
day-to-day medical needs as often as you did during early
childhood. But older kids also are dependent on you,
especially when it comes to emotional health and wellness.
“Life transitions,
romantic situations, stress and exposure to drugs and
alcohol are just a few of the challenges facing teens and
young adults,” says James Perrin, MD, FAAP, 2014 President
of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “As a parent,
you can help ease these transitions and encourage positive
choices.”
May, which is Mental
Health Month, is a good time to take stock of your child’s
emotional well-being. The AAP offers these tips for parents
to foster good mental health:
• At each new stage in
your child`s life, be extra vigilant for signals that he
needs extra support. Be ready to provide it.
• Check in often and keep
the lines of communication open. If your child is away at
college or has moved out, speak regularly by phone. Children
should know that they can talk to you about anything. Be
committed to broaching tough topics. Talk about your own
experiences and fears when you were an adolescent.
• If your teen has a
mental health diagnosis, he or she will need extra support.
Pediatricians, school counselors and mental health
professionals are important resources.
• Watch for mental health
red flags, such as excessive sleeping, personality shifts,
excessive moodiness, noticeable weight loss or gain,
excessive secrecy or signs of self-harm.
• Don’t skip the annual
physical. Not only are teens still on a vaccination
schedule, but check-ups are a crucial opportunity to talk to
your pediatrician about any concerns, as well as diagnose
any potential physical and mental health issues. It’s also a
great time for teens to seek confidential advice.
• Safeguard your home
against prescription drug abuse by keeping your own
medications locked. According to the AAP, prescription drug
misuse by adolescents is second only to marijuana and
alcohol misuse. The most commonly abused prescription drugs
include Vicodin and Xanax.
• Provide logistical
support for young adults like completing health forms and
physicals for college; setting up accommodations at school
if they have a mental health diagnosis; finding physicians
to care for their adult needs; and signing up for health
insurance. Your pediatrician’s office can help.
• Help limit teens’
stress. Don’t encourage them to take on excessive
time-consuming extra-curricular activities. Avoid comparing
your children. Every child has his own strengths.
• Encourage habits that
reduce stress and promote physical and mental health, such
as a well-balanced diet, getting at least seven hours of
sleep a night, and regular exercise.
• At this age, it’s
important for parents to arm their older children with
coping skills that will serve them throughout life, rather
than handling everything for them.
More health tips for
parents of older children, teens and young adults can be
found at www.HealthyChildren.org.
As your child gets older,
don’t let physical and mental health take a back seat to
other considerations.
Courtesy StatePoint
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