Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents was already on the rise pre-pandemic, however a new analysis by the Center for Disease Control found that rates accelerated during the pandemic with an increase in obesity rates from 19% to about 22%. The rise in obesity is especially prevalent among preschool and school-aged children due to widespread […]
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Teen Dating Violence: Interventions for Primary Care
This month we turn our attention towards teen dating violence (TDV) as an important public health topic with long-term impacts into adulthood. Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime. Adults who report sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime are likely to have experienced these or other forms […]
Addressing Substance Misuse in Adolescents
Adolescent Substance Misuse remains an important concern in our country. For many young people, the risk factors leading to substance use were magnified during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue to have an impact on their biopsychosocial development. Social isolation, breaks in school connection, increased parental substance misuse and family stress […]
Perinatal Mental Health and Suicide
Perinatal Depression is one of the most common complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth (CDC, 2018). However, did you know that suicide and overdose combined are the leading cause of death for women in the first year postpartum (Davis, 2019)? Often suicide is the result of unrecognized and untreated mental health conditions. For this reason, […]
Helping Children Transition to In-Person Learning
The transition back to the classroom for children and back to the workplace for many parents is underway. This presents another major adjustment from what has become the new normal resulting in a variety of reactions including relief as well as increased family stress and mental health difficulties. Remember, while this time of year can […]
Sleep and Hydroxyzine in the Pediatric Population
Insomnia is a common issue in children and adolescents in primary care settings. Given the difficulties associated with poor sleep, parents often ask providers for rapid solutions. As a result, one of the most prescribed medications is the antihistamine hydroxyzine. Yet randomized control data in children is lacking. There is no clinical efficacy, safety, or […]
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents
PTSD events It is estimated that one in four children will suffer a traumatic event before adulthood. This includes exposure to death, injury, violence, emotional/physical/sexual abuse, natural disasters, divorce, or separation from parents or caregivers. The occurrence(s) can be directly experienced, a witnessed event, news that a traumatic event happened to a significant other, […]
The Impact of Covid 19 on Mental Health and Wellness in Children and Adolesce...
Earlier this month, we addressed the importance of primary care providers supporting the mental health of youth and families. As more adults, children, and adolescents become vaccinated, minimizing the exposure to the COVID-19 virus is within reach. However, the pandemic’s impact on pediatric mental health will likely last for months and even years for vulnerable […]
Supporting Mental Health and Wellness in Children and Adolescents
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) created the You Are Not Alone campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month in May to promote the importance of recognizing and talking about mental health. This month, we want to remind you that you are not alone in tackling the complexities associated with caring for patients experiencing mental health issues. […]
The Impact of Racism on Pediatric Mental Health
Headlines in the news… and images on social media are filled with the racial violence that continues to plague our country. Children and adolescents are impacted by exposure to this violence, both through witnessing the stories, but also from their own experiences with racism in their communities. Exposure to news coverage and social media may […]
