TRANSCRIPT
Childhood is often characterised as a carefree time without responsibility and stress and typically, experiencing mental health issues is associated with adulthood.
But what if these assumptions are wrong, or even damaging?
That's what children's mental health charity, KidsXpress, is suggesting.
Founder and chief executive Margo Ward says there's a lack of awareness around children's mental health in Australia.
"Last year we ran a survey which surveyed over 1600 adults across Australia. And we found that one in three parents weren't able to confidently recognise the signs that their children would have mental health issues. And this was quite a surprise when you then realise that our parents and caregivers that wrap around their children actually weren't confident to know if their child wasn't okay."
The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics suggests mental ill-health affects 1-in-7 children aged between 4 and 11 in Australia, and around half of all mental health issues emerge before 14 years of age.
But only 25 per cent of children diagnosed with a mental disorder go on to receive professional support - the lowest of the entire Australian population.
Ms Ward says if mental health issues aren't addressed in a child's youth, they can grow into lifelong challenges.
"It's really critical that we are now looking at children's mental health as not only an early intervention, but a prevention strategy across the age span, and mental health for Australians as a whole. So it's really critical that we actually do this. But we also know that failing to recognise those mental health problems and children can lead to depression, anxiety, even post traumatic stress disorder as we grow into young adults and to adulthood. So it's critical that we actually intervene as early as we possibly can."
So how can you tell if a child in your life is struggling?
Dr Iain Perkes is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of New South Wales and the Sydney Children's Hospital Network.
"The signs might include, for instance, difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep. So sleep disturbance can be a sign. Changes in patterns of eating, appetite being disturbed, changes in school attendance or school performance. So if a child or adolescent is really apprehensive about going to school on a regular basis more than you'd expect or more than has been the case previously that can be a sign, is this young person having some difficulty with their emotions?"
The ABS data suggests 7 of out 10 of the most common presentations to paediatricians are for mental health.
It also finds the first 2000 days of a child's life are a critical period, and interventions during this time can result in significant improvements to a child's early life experiences, health and development.
Virtual Services Manager at Kids Helpline, Tony Fitzgerald, says parents being open to listening to their children's emotions can make a big difference.
"About 37 per cent of all of our contacts at Kids HelpLine come from children who are aged 14 years or younger. So we know it's a significant issue. I think the first thing is making space for a conversation and also to listen and just try and tease out what's what might be going on. But if a parent's really concerned, it's about really trying to access a health care professional who then can help them explore some paths to getting support, whether that's through seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist or other supports that might be available."
The ABS data outlining how many children experience ill mental health in Australia is from the 2013-14 year, 10 years ago.
Mr Fitzgerald believes a lot more children would identify as experiencing mental health issues since then.
"Through whatever determinants there are, whether it's social media, or whether it's some other kind of impacts within the community that are impacting our young people's mental health, we have seen a rise in reports around mental health impacting our young people. So, certainly, it's probably a combination of a number of factors. The increase in messaging around help seeking but also those factors that impact the lives of our young people. You know, it's tough growing up as a child and a young person these days and there are a whole range of factors that impact their health and well being and that's something that we need to be cognizant of, compared to potentially 10 years ago, we've certainly seen an increase."
Dr Perkes says a lot more government investment is needed to improve support options for children both in schools, and more generally.
"I think there's been some really great investment from different governments. But there's a long way to go. School counsellors are not resourced anywhere near what they need to be. They're typically in a school for a few days a week. Sometimes it's one school counsellor one day, another one the next day. So resourcing that type of role so it can be full time permanent within a given school would be one terrific advance. There's really important research testing the effectiveness of online treatment options for children with mental ill health and so it's a rolling challenge but one which requires additional investment."
If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 800.
