UC Davis child psychologist talks mental health issues facing children

MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS DURING CONVERSATIONS. GOVERNOR NEWSOM ALSO TAKING ACTION WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, PROCLAIMING THIS WEEK CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK. JOINING ME NOW IS DR. BRANDI HAWKE. SHE IS A CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST WITH UC DAVIS. DR. HAWKE, GOOD MORNING. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING CHILDREN RIGHT NOW. WELL, RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT AT LEAST 2 IN 5 TEENS ARE REPORTING SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC PANDEMIC, UP TO 30% OF 2 TO 10 YEAR OLDS WERE STRUGGLING WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS. AND THESE NUMBERS ARE ONLY INCREASED. WE JUST CAME OUT OF NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH AND STUDIES SUGGEST THAT AS MANY AS 60% OF CHILDREN EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT. AND MOREOVER, OUR RESEARCH IS SUGGESTING THAT MORE THAN HALF OF TEENAGE GIRLS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SUICIDE. AND SUICIDE IS CURRENTLY THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHILDREN. WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT MORE NOW AND HOW DO YOU ADDRESS IT? HOW DO WE FIX THE PROBLEM? YEAH, I THINK THAT MORE AND MORE PARENTS AND TEENS ARE BEING OPEN TO TALK ABOUT IT. WE ARE SEEING IT MORE. THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE’RE SEEING ARE MORE SEVERE. AND SO WE’RE SEEING MORE CHILDREN GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. WE’RE SEEING MORE SUICIDE. WE’RE SEEING MORE DISORDERED EATING AND THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF HIDING IT AND THEY’RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW. SO TALK ABOUT WHAT FAMILIES AND FOLKS WHO ARE SEEING THIS INTERVIEW THIS MORNING SHOULD BE DOING. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THEY CAN DO TODAY? FIRST AND FOREMOST, TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. ASK HOW THEY’RE DOING AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY. AS PARENTS, THIS CAN BE REALLY SCARY BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO STRUGGLE WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO TELL US WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG IF THEY KNOW WE’RE GOING TO LISTEN WITHOUT JUDGMENT. SO TALK ABOUT YOUR OWN DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WERE THEIR AGE. SO THEY KNOW IT’S OKAY TO BE VULNERABLE AND THAT YOU MIGHT GET IT IF THEY DO BRING UP MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, STAY QUIET UNTIL THEY’RE DONE SPEAKING, THEN REPEAT BACK WHAT YOU HEARD THEM SAY. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP. SOME OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS ARE MAKING TIME FOR FUN AND RELAX. TIME AS A FAMILY, MAINTAINING ROUTINES, ENCOURAGING POSITIVE TIME WITH FRIENDS. FOR ME, EVERY MORNING I LIKE TO ASK MY DAUGHTER, WHAT IS ONE THING YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY? IT’S A VERY SMALL QUESTION THAT CAN FOSTER A SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS AND FUTURE THINKING AND OVERALL, IF YOUR CHILD DOES REPORT SUICIDAL IDEATION, HOPELESSNESS, DISORDERED EATING, THOUGHTS OF WANTING TO HURT SOMEONE ELSE OR OTHERWISE HAS A SUDDEN OR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR, SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP. DR. HOGG THAT IS A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AND REALLY THINGS FOLKS CAN IMPLEMENT EVEN TODAY, THIS MORNING.

UC Davis child psychologist talks mental health issues facing children

Updated: 8:39 AM PDT May 3, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday issued a proclamation declaring this week Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. In the proclamation, Newsom cited unprecedented challenges taking a toll on young children, especially those in underserved and marginalized communities.On Tuesday, Dr. Brandi Hawk with UC Davis spoke with KCRA 3 about the mental health issues facing children and what families and friends can do to help.Listen to what she had to say in the video player above.

DAVIS, Calif. —

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday issued a proclamation declaring this week Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

In the proclamation, Newsom cited unprecedented challenges taking a toll on young children, especially those in underserved and marginalized communities.

On Tuesday, Dr. Brandi Hawk with UC Davis spoke with KCRA 3 about the mental health issues facing children and what families and friends can do to help.

Listen to what she had to say in the video player above.