What children need for good mental health

The Children’s Mental Health Week celebrates its 10th anniversary from February 5 to 11 with the theme ‘My Voice Matters’. This event emphasizes children’s mental health and is significant. Schools, mental health agencies, and communities collaborate to guarantee its success.

Awareness campaigns and mental health specialists are diagnosing many previously undiagnosed mental health conditions.

However, families that promote sharing, storytelling, and environment appear to have less mental stress. We can perhaps encourage youngsters to participate in these activities and create a cheerful, socially pressure-free atmosphere.

The goal is to promote healthy mental health in youngsters and help those in need. Early childhood mental health awareness is one of the main reasons the Children’s Mental Health Week is important. Early action may avert bigger issues later.

The week also promotes open dialogue and awareness to end mental health stigma. Let’s promote cooperation between educators, counselors, parents, and the community to help struggling youngsters. A supporting network ensures all children have mental health services.

Interact with children this week, watch for mental health concerns, and learn about services. Create a friendly atmosphere for youngsters to discuss their struggles to promote empathy and compassion.

Mental disorders affected 37.7 per cent of Kenyan schoolchildren. The majority of complaints were somatic, 29.6 per cent. At 14.1 per cent, affective disorders followed, and conduct disorder was 12.5 per cent. While another research found that 61.6 per cent of medical students had considerable stress. Another research on stress and psychosocial adjustment in non-medical students revealed 35.6 per cent experienced low stress, 27.4 per cent moderate stress, and 37.0 per cent severe stress.

Half of all mental health issues start by 14, and 75 per cent by 16. Despite these frightening numbers, 70 per cent of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health issues have not received prompt treatment. This emphasizes the essential need for youth mental health awareness, support, and interventions in Kenya.

Parents, teachers, and caregivers should discuss children's mental health to promote awareness and improve family and school support. What counts is how you respond, not what occurs. Genetics, environment, and technology like screen time and social media might affect mental health.

- Mr Flora is a journalist based in Canada