Can Children Get the Blues?
    We Mississippians are so creative we can dwarf a diagnosable major mental illness (depression) into a major money maker (the Blues). Similarly, there’s a widely held myth that “Wild Women Never Get the Blues.” The true is, with a quarter of the population of women reporting having experienced depression, wild women may very well be running from the blues.
    In addition, we have much misinformation about children and their mental health. In times past, people believed that children could not get depression. Kids who were sad, testy, and grumpy were thought to be going through a phase. This may have been the case, then again, more may have been going on. Signs of depression in children are often mistaken for bad behavior or growing pains they’ll outgrow.
    Today, we know that depression and other mental illnesses in children are real. One in five children has a diagnosable mental illness. Untreated mental health problems can disrupt children’s functioning at home, school and in the community. And two-thirds of the kids who need help don’t get it. Without treatment, children with mental health issues are at increased risk of school failure, contact with the criminal justice system, dependence on drugs and alcohol and, even suicide.
    Parents and family members should be the first to notice if a child has emotional or behavior problems. But they need to know what to look for, and be open to getting help. There’s a big difference between a child that’s just being moody or difficult, and one that is suffering from depression.
    Dr. Ben Vitiello, MD, the chair of the Child and Adolescent Treatment and Preventive Intervention Research Branch within the National Institute of Mental Health reported “the two most important signs of depression in children are sadness that lasts most of the day and an irritable, angry mood. These signs are often accompanied by an inability to enjoy things that used to be fun, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite and feeling tired all the time for no medical reason.” Also decline in school performance, poor grades despite strong efforts, constant worry or anxiety, frequent temper tantrums may be present. We have also seen these children complain of feeling sick, cling to a parent or caregiver, or worry excessively that a parent may die.
    The first step in treating depression is to understand what could be causing it. Depression in children is caused by a combination of three things. There must either be major things wrong with their lives, something major wrong with their body and or mind, or a strong family history of depression. Often more than one is present. There is an interaction between environment and genes. If bad things happen to a child and there is a family history of depression, depression is likely to occur. All forms of child abuse and neglect, inconsistent parenting, seeing and being victim to violence or crime, and living in a chaotic home all contribute. Girls are more likely than boys to experience depression. The risk for depression increases as a child gets older. Too, recent studies found that kids who watch more than 6 hours of television a day have more problems with depression, anxiety, and aggression.
    If your child is diagnosed with a mental illness, a comprehensive treatment plan should be developed with the family that includes the child in the treatment decisions. Psychotherapy, family therapy, family group therapy, medication are among the evidence based forms of treatment that are recommended.    
    So, What’s a Parent To Do?
1. If you suspect your child might be depressed, don’t ignore it. Get help. The sooner the better. Early treatment produces better results.
2. Family support is important. Depressed children often feel isolated, even when they’re not alone. Family time combined with a consistent positive, nurturing environment may be as helpful to the child’s recovery as medication or therapy.
3. Help your child complete the treatment regimen even when it seems difficult at times.
    Yes, children can get the blues. Depression in children can be very disruptive, and impacts not just the one suffering but the whole family. With early diagnosis and treatment, most children with depression can be effectively healed.

     © Rachell N. Anderson, Psy. D. August 6, 2013

Dr. Rachell Anderson is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, Professor Emeritus and author. She taught at the University of Illinois and ran a private Clinical in Springfield for more than 40 years. She lives and writes in Tunica, Mississippi. Check out her website at WWW.drrachellanderson.com for more articles and books.

Help Your Children Succeed in School
By
Dr. Rachell N. Anderson
    Many people think that because babies don’t talk, they don’t understand and don’t know what’s going on around then. Not so. Babies get it, but the mechanics of speaking are different from knowing, so many parents underestimate how much is going in the little ones’ bodies and minds.
    Babies’ brains are grossly undeveloped when they are born but growth is rapid. By the time the child reaches age 3, the brain has grown to 80% of its adult capacity. Therefore, the building blocks for future learning are laid down during those first 3 years.
    Scientists have found that the brain continues to grow (but more slowly) and matures in our early 20s but in the meantime, children’s interest in school has grown or waned. Children who learn the rigors of learning early do better than those who don’t.  
    More important than what happens in school is what happens at home. When was the last time your children caught you reading a good book, studying a map, using the dictionary, or going to the museum; just for the fun of it? Are you interested in hearing new ideas, learning new things or learning to do old things in a new way? If you can say yes and often to these two questions, you are well on your to helping your children to do well in school.
Modeling is the first step. Remember, our children watch what we do. When parents are eager to learn, their children will most likely be eager to learn as well.     
    Regardless of your socio-economic, cultural, ethnic background, education is the key to financial success in adult life. For most of us, that starts with succeeding in school. When your children succeed in school, they have the key to a lifetime of success.
    According to researchers, if parents do 4 simple, pleasurable, things they can build strong beginning. These things are: touch and hold their babies, talk to them, read to them and play with them. This is consistent with a statement on the website of the Urban Child institute who used the words: touch, talk, read, play as their motto.
    The brain is wired to learn and early brain development is largely shaped by parents’ involvement with the baby. Children grow and thrive when they are in dependable relationships that provide love, security and support.
     As children grow, parental involvement in children’s learning community produce the best results.
What’s a Parent To Do?
1. Model a love for learning.
2. Build relationships in the child’s school. Get to know the staff rather than wait until there are problems. Communicate with your child’s teacher in an open, honest and trusting way.
3. Without acting like the Helicopter Parent, participate in your child’s classroom activities. Go to open house. Help to chaperone a class field trip. Share your talent or expertise. Regardless of your profession, participate in career day. Read a story. Sing a song. Help with a special project. Help with the bulletin boards. Offer to help the teacher. Give an hour or two whenever possible.
4. Join the PTO. This way, you’ll meet other parents with whom you can connect and find support. Remember, the school belongs to the community and can’t function adequately without you.  
5. Be respectful of your child’s teachers. If you have a beef, be careful not to air it to your child. If you show disrespect for the teacher, so will your child. Take your complaint to the teacher first. If you get no satisfaction, go to the supervising teacher, then to the principal. Attend school board meetings.
6. Be supportive of your child. Encouraging statements are better than complaints. “I know Math is hard but I believe you can do it. Keep at it" “I'm proud to see you finish your homework."
7. Focus on progress rather than perfection. Have a good enough policy. Nagging and nitpicking zaps motivation.
8. Give children a few minutes of down time after school. Most of us need time to relax and play before we start our next big project. Homework can began after that.
    Regardless of who you are, how much or little education you have, you are the key to how your children do in school. So get involved and show your children that you value them and their education. This way, you are giving them the key to lifetime of success in learning and in life.
© Rachell N. Anderson, Psy. D. July 25, 2013

Dr. Rachell Anderson is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, a Professor Emeritus and author. She taught at the University of Illinois and ran a private Clinical Practice in Springfield, Illinois for more than 40 years. She lives and writes in Tunica, Mississippi. Check out her website at www.drrachellanderson.com for more articles and books.