Mass. General doctor on pandemic’s mental toll on children
Updated: 8:39 PM EDT May 5, 2022
BEN: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHALLEN FGE BOTH OUR BODIES, AND OUR BRAINS. ERIKA: MANY OF YOU HAVE TOLD US, YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SO WE’VE INVITED DR. KHADIJAH BOOTH WATKINS TO JOIN OUR WEEKLY LINE-UP OF TRUSTED MEDICAL EXPERTS. DR. BOOTH WATKINS IS A PSYCHIATRIST AND THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE CLAY CENTER RFO YOUNG HEALTHY MINDS AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. BEN: YOU WERE BUSY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. WHAT KIND OF IMPACT HAS COVID HAD ON YOUR CASELOAD? >> WE WERE ALREADY BUSY. KIDSER WE ALREADY STRUGGLING. THERE WAS ALREADY A PROFOUND SHORTAGE OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TREATING KIDS FOR PSYCHIATRIC ELEMENTS. AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DEPRESSION, AN XIY,ET KIDS HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. EMERGENCY ROOM’S HAVE BEEFULL.N URGENT REFERRALS HAVE BEEN SKYROCKETING. INPATIENT UNITS HAVE BEEN PRETTY FULL WITH KS IDRALLY STRUGGLING. ERIKA: WE HAVE BEENEP RORTING ON IT, MANY PARENTS TELL US THEY KNOW THEIR KIDS EDNE HELP BUT DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIND IT, OR IT TAKES A LONG TIME. SHOULD THEY BE CALLING A PSYCHIATRIST DIRECTLY? WHERE WOULD YOU START? >> THE SYSTEM IS TRICKY TO NAVIGATE. I WOULD SAY, START WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER. WE CONDESIR THEM THE GATEKEEPER. THIS IS THE BLESSED — BEST PLACE TO START BECSEAU TYPICALLY YOU HAVE KNOWN THEM FOR A WHILE. THEY KNOW YOU, THEY KNOW YOUR CHILD. THEY ALSO TEND TO HAVE A NETWORK OF THERAPISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS TH CEYAN REFER YOU TO. TEALRNATIVELY, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE SCHOOL APPEARED SOMETIMES YOUR SCHOOL HAS PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH WHO THEY CAN REFEROU Y TO AND THERE ARE ONLINE RESOURCES. NIMA AND OTHER NOT — NAMI CAN HAVE RESOURCES, BUT IT IS TRICKY AND WAITS ARE LONG. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE PERSISTENT IN MAKING THE PHONE CALLS AND REACHING OUT. BEN: LET’S GET TO SOME QUESTIONS FROM VIEWERS. THE FIRST ONE IS FROM DEE. MY DAUGHTER IS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SC HOOL. SHE THRIVED WHEN HER CLAESSS WERE REMOTE. NOW THAT SHE’S BACK IN CLASS, HER GRADES HAVE DROPPED. I’VE ASKED HER IF EVERYTHING IS OK, BUT SHE SAYS HER CLASSES ARE JUST HARDER. AM I WORRYING TOO MU?CH WHAT DO YOU SAY DOCTOR? >> THAT IS IMPORTANT. THE PANDEMIC AND THE REMOTE LEARNING SPACE WAS NOT TERRIBLE FOR ALL KIDS. GOING BACK TO SCHOOL WAS DIFFICULT FOR SOME WHO ACTUALLY THRIVE IN THAT APARTME.NT KEEP TALKING TO YOUR CHILD, EP HAVING CONVERSATIONS. AS A PARENT, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD BEST AND IF YOU ARE CONCERNED, I WOULD SAY PURSUE ALTERNATIVES TO GET MORE INFORMATION. CONSIDER TALKING TOHE T SCHOOL, TALKINTOG TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION ANDSK A MORE SPECIFICUE QSTIONS TO YOUR CHILD. DO NOT TO BE AFRAID TO SAY YOU ARE WORRIED ORON CCERNED. ASK THEM SPECIFICALLY WHAT ELSE COULD BE GNGOI ON IN TERMS OF HOW THEY ARE FEELING IN SCHOOL AND HOW THEY ARE GETTING ALONG WITH FRIENDS. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ENOUGH, SEEK A REFERRAL
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Mass. General doctor on pandemic’s mental toll on children
Updated: 8:39 PM EDT May 5, 2022
Mass General’s Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins says psychiatrists have seen an increase in depression, anxiety and kids having suicidal thoughts so that emergency rooms have been full, with urgent referrals skyrocketing.
Mass General’s Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins says psychiatrists have seen an increase in depression, anxiety and kids having suicidal thoughts so that emergency rooms have been full, with urgent referrals skyrocketing.
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