Investing In Their Futures: Celebrating National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

The first Thursday of the first full week of May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. This year, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day will be observed on May 9. 

This day generally provides an opportunity to learn about children’s mental health, spread awareness for mental health concerns affecting children, and advocate for children’s mental health needs to invest in their lives in the present and future. Serious mental illness does not just affect adults; children’s mental health can be considered a global public health concern, with conditions like ADHD and mental health problems like depression affecting growing numbers of children. However, raising awareness, investing in treatment and lifestyle changes for your child, and prioritizing being a supportive parent or guardian can make a significant and positive impact in improving children’s mental health.

You may wish to honor National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day by spending time with your children or advocating for mental health support for kids. You could also use this day as an opportunity to seek professional support if you believe your child could be living with a mental health disorder.

History of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

Although May was made Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949, it wasn’t until recently that children’s mental health was recognized and prioritized. In 2005, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) honored the first National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. Since then, numerous events, seminars, and activities have taken place to honor Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

The importance of children’s mental health

Though children’s mental health may not be talked about as often as teen and adult mental health, it can be equally important. According to the latest result from the Mental Health America fact sheet, roughly 21% of adult Americans lives with mental illness, but over one in ten children, teens, and young adults live with depression, and almost 60% of those youths do not receive mental health treatment. 

Mentally healthy children can reach their developmental and physical milestones, learn to cope with life in healthy ways, and cultivate a positive outlook. However, children who struggle with mental health may face challenges in meeting milestones, coping with stressors, and functioning well in daily life. They may have issues with social well being and feel disconnected from their parents and other adults in their lives.

Prioritizing children’s mental health can be crucial for several reasons. First, children tend to lack the experience and knowledge to navigate mental health challenges on their own, which can make guidance from parents, teachers, therapists, and others essential. Second, investing in a child’s healthy development can be an effective means of creating a positive foundation for the child’s future. Children who have supportive caretakers can become more resilient to life’s challenges, as well as bolster their social and emotional skills.

Mental health conditions that can affect children

Mental health conditions in children can be defined as those that affect the child’s ability to behave, handle emotions, learn, and interact with others. These conditions may cause stress for the child and could have a mild to severe impact on their ability to function in daily life. 

The most common mental health conditions and mental disorders that children face tend to be attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders, with more than one in 11 children experiencing these conditions. Research shows that, among children in the United States aged three to 17, 9.8% may live with ADHD, and 9.4% may have anxiety.

Depression is also a mental health concern commonly affecting children and teens. In general, one in five children aged 12 to 17 has experienced a major depressive episode. Meanwhile, among high school students, one in three reported feeling sad or hopeless, and one in five had seriously contemplated suicide at some point.

Mental health concerns in children appear to be worsening in recent years, with suicidal behaviors in high school children increasing by 40% in the decade before 2019.

There are also children whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence, civil unrest, and other serious traumas that can deeply affect their long-term health and cause severe emotional disturbance. According to their fact sheet, SAMHSA’s research has found that at least one in seven children experience childhood abuse or neglect. Without appropriate support, at-risk young adults may find themselves in the juvenile justice system, which can be traumatic in itself. They may experience the stress and trauma of homelessness, as the National Alliance to End Homelessness notes that as of 2023, more than 34,700 youths were counted as homeless in the United States in a single night, with more than 40% of those children left completely unsheltered. 

These statistics can demonstrate the dire need to increase awareness, support around, and early intervention for children’s mental health. Any child from any background can experience mental illness, though research suggests that social determinants of health, such as poverty, education, and geographic area, can put some children at a higher risk of developing a mental health condition.

Supporting children’s mental health

Nurturing positive mental health in children can be an essential part of ensuring a healthy life as they grow into adults, and can act as early intervention to promote healthy development. Every child tends to be different, and what each child needs to be supported and fulfilled can vary. However, if you are a parent or caretaker, there may be some general guidelines to keep in mind when supporting a child’s mental health. 

Talk with your child

Depending on your child’s age, the first step toward supporting their mental health may be understanding how they’re feeling. With very young children, their behavior will likely give insight into their mental health; with adolescents, understanding the physical and social challenges they face can help you understand the mental and emotional challenges as well. If you suspect your child may be struggling with a mental health concern, reach out to your healthcare provider to determine a cause and potential next steps to promote recovery.

Create a safe and supportive environment

Studies show that adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, discrimination, or parental abandonment, can contribute to the development of mental health conditions in children. As a parent or guardian, it can be important that you ensure your child grows up in a safe, healthy environment. Make use of community health centers to help educate yourself and your child and stay involved in your communities to ensure they have a strong support network of other adults they trust.

If your own behaviors or mental illness, such as substance use disorder, anger management problems, or other concerns, may be contributing to your child’s mental health challenges, it can be vital to seek help.

Consider working with a therapist

If your child is struggling mentally, consider therapy. You may wish to work with a therapist or counselor in a family therapy setting, or it may be beneficial for your child to receive one-on-one therapy. Play therapy, behavioral therapy, and applied behavior analysis are just a few examples of therapy modalities that can be effective in treating children’s mental health concerns. These professionals can help to encourage and celebrate recovery from mental illness and, if need be, provide recommendations for community health centers and treatment facilities should you child ever need them.

Honoring National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

Celebrating and honoring National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day can be as simple as spending quality time with your children or checking in on your child’s mental health. It can also be beneficial to advocate for children’s mental health, even if you aren’t a parent or if your children are adults. 

In addition to raising awareness about children’s mental health and supporting the children in your life, there are also school, policy, and community changes that can make a big impact on children’s mental health and overall well-being. 

The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health offers several recommendations to improve youth mental health, including the following:

• Validate that mental health can be a crucial part of overall health.

• Empower youth and their families to focus on emotion recognition and control.

• Make healthcare more available for every child.

• Provide adequate care for children in community, childcare, and educational settings, and invest in the early childhood and education workforce. 

• Target and correct economic and social barriers that can contribute to poor mental health for young people, families, and caregivers.

• Invest in research and fact gathering to identify and address the mental health needs of children and young people across communities.

Therapy for children’s mental health

If your child is struggling with their mental health, you may be unsure of how to help them. There may be many interventions you can try to help your child thrive beyond providing a loving and supportive environment. Some examples can include involving them in more social, community-based activities, spending more quality time with them, or adjusting their sleep schedule. 

Sometimes, however, these interventions may not be enough to improve children’s mental health conditions. In these cases, help from a licensed mental health professional can be an effective tool to help your child feel better. Various therapy modalities, from play therapy to CBT, can be utilized to improve children’s mental health. Additionally, you can find a therapy format that works well for you and your child, be it traditional face-to-face therapy or online therapy. 

Online therapy can be a particularly useful tool for parents with busy schedules who may struggle to find the time to attend in-office sessions. 

Studies show that online therapy can be as effective as in-office therapy at treating various mental health conditions. For example, an online intervention for parents of children with ADHD was generally found to be as efficacious as its in-person counterpart.