What to know about children's mental health

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With school-aged children, a little bit of anxiety can be normal. Whether it's the first day of school or the day of a big test, occasional nerves are a common part of childhood. Yet, 20 percent of school-aged kids and teens are affected by a mental health condition. Some mental health clinicians say these mental health conditions — most commonly anxiety and depression — can be made worse in the summertime due to the lack of a daily routine, fewer opportunities to interact with peers and increased screen time.

With studies showing the increasing impact of social media on youth mental health and the effects of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to notice if your school-aged child seems to be more than just a little nervous, or if you’ve seen recent changes in how they behave or handle their emotions. If that's the case, it might be time to keep an eye on their mental health and seek care, if needed.

Many mental health conditions start in childhood

About 50 percent of mental health conditions develop by age 14 and diagnoses of anxiety and depression have been seen to increase with age. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 5 children aged 3 to 17 have a diagnosed mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder.

It's important to understand the signs of a mental health condition, as any symptoms in childhood can lead to additional struggles at school or in social situations.

What anxiety can look like in children

While it’s perfectly normal for kids to develop certain fears or worries at different points in their childhood, anxiety is diagnosed when fears are persistent, extreme — or both. Different types of anxiety in children include:

• Separation anxiety disorder — being extremely afraid when separated from parents or caregivers
• Phobias — having an extreme fear about a specific object, environment or situation, like flying insects, thunderstorms or going to the dentist
• Social anxiety disorder — being fearful of social situations and going to places where there are other people, like school
• Generalized anxiety disorder — being very worried about everyday things, such as bad grades or the safety of family members
• Panic disorder — having sudden episodes of unexpected, intense fear with symptoms like heart racing, having trouble breathing, or feeling dizzy, shaky or sweaty
• Selective mutism — having the inability to speak or feeling "frozen" during times of anxiety

What depression can look like in children

Depression is more than just being sad. Across all ages, depression is diagnosed when someone feels persistently sad or uninterested in things that they used to enjoy or feel helpless in situations they don’t have any control over. Examples of depression symptoms in children include:

• Feeling sad, hopeless or irritable much of the time
• Having a hard time paying attention in school
• Being tired and sluggish or tense and restless much of the time
• Sleeping and eating a lot more or less than normal
• Not wanting to do anything or not enjoying fun activities

Depression in children can be harder to spot than anxiety, as children may not talk about how they’re feeling hopeless and may not appear sad. Symptoms may cause them to act out or be unmotivated in a learning setting, which can result in parents, caregivers or even their pediatrician labeling the child disruptive or lazy.

What to do if you suspect mental health concerns

First things first: If you think your child could be dealing with a mental health condition, talk to their pediatrician. They’ll be able to help with getting an evaluation or recommending a mental health specialist to develop a treatment plan, which usually includes some form of therapy. Once you have a confirmed diagnosis from your child’s pediatrician, you can reach out to their school to help ensure your child is well-supported in their primary learning environment.

You can also help your child manage symptoms of anxiety and depression by encouraging healthy behaviors, including getting enough sleep and physical activity, eating a healthy, balanced diet and trying techniques for mindfulness or relaxation.

Free mental health resources for Wellmark members

As a Wellmark member, you have access to mental health resources in myWellmark to help you find a local mental health care provider and more. Log in to myWellmark to explore the resources, or register for myWellmark today.

If you think your child is in immediate danger as a result of a mental health condition, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to speak with a skilled mental health counselor nearby. You can also connect to a counselor 24/7 by texting HOME to 741741.

Get virtual mental health support

As part of your health benefits, most Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield members have virtual visit benefits through Doctor On Demand^®. Doctor On Demand makes it possible for you or your family members to see psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists from the comfort of your home for help with anxiety, depression, panic attacks and more.