All in This Together
Mental Health as a Family
BY HEATHER M. ROSS
W 24 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2022
FILADENDRON / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
K NOWING WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Serving your child’s needs often requires some research.

Knowing what kids might be dealing with can ensure
parents know what to look for so they can get kids treat-
ment when they need it.

How common are mental health challenges in kids?
The CDC reported that 9.8% of children in the U.S.

between the ages of 3 and 17 were diagnosed with ADHD,
and of that age range, 9.4% were diagnosed with anxi-
ety, 8.9% with other behavior problems and 4.4% with
depression. “I think a lot of youths are facing some repercussions
from COVID,”says Robyn Knecht, a school counselor for
more than 18 years .

Now serving at St. Joseph’s Indian School, a nonprofit
residential boarding school in South Dakota, Knecht
shares what she’s noticed over the last few years.

“[Kids] have been disconnected from services they may
have been getting and we’re seeing the impacts of that.

I think children can feel even more isolated than adults
when their daily schedules are so disrupted.”
With these extra pressures, it’s no surprise that form-
ing an accurate picture of what each individual child is
dealing with might be difficult for parents and guardians.

it’s not uncommon for children to have more than one
disorder at a time, says Helen Egger, whose mental tele-
health service Little Otter expanded to DC this summer.

Egger is a child psychiatrist who has been in academic
mental health for more than 30 years.

Some signs your child may be struggling include out of
character behavioral changes, changes in their sleeping or
eating habits, not keeping up with school work or hygiene
and being late for things, she explains.

But mental health challenges can also present in differ-
ent ways, notes Carrie Miller, who is a therapist and
the clinical director of Ellie Mental Health Bethesda.

Presentation can vary between children of different age
SEWCREAM / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
hat does it mean to approach mental health as a family? While children are among those
who are experiencing a growing mental health risk, as a parent you might see it as a
family problem with an individual solution. Connect a child with treatment and they will
begin to heal, right?
While treatment can be an essential tool in the process, there’s more you can do along the way.

Here’s how to take a family approach to mental health.