Atlanta Health Warning: Back to School Blues are Real. Doctor Explains | State News

Know this: “…as kids go back to school, it becomes very important that adding the variable of mental health becomes a part of your interaction with your children. Monitoring signs of mental distress, mood changes, sudden withdrawal from social interactions, and even new behavioral issues. All of these could be providing clues into your child’s mental health. For the healthcare community, I would add that we should also utilize mental health considerations regularly when assessing the child’s sudden change in behaviors and temperaments. Small things do add up!” Dr. Adriana Davis, Family Medicine.

Beyond the News: Strategies like emotional learning programs and mental health screenings should begin to prioritize children’s mental health. Especially, when robust data is available to show that the “back-to-school” time period increases mental stress in young children.

Key Drivers in DeKalb County:

A new report from the CDC finds that the number of weekly emergency department visits for mental health conditions increases among US children and adolescents during the “back-to-school” time period in the fall and spring semesters.

Among children (age 5-9), emergency room visits also increase for conditions like depressive disorders, suicidal ideation, mood disorders, and mental health symptoms.

What they’re saying: “Each year, during 2018–2023, among persons aged 10–14 and 15–17 years, the number and proportion of weekly ED visits displayed seasonal patterns for depressive disorders, suicidal ideation or self-harm, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, cannabis-related disorders,…