Dartmouth Health has published the latest webinar in its series, Heads Up: A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey. This month, expert panelists discuss the topic “Parents and other adults: How do we support children who are struggling?” The video can be viewed at the Dartmouth Health YouTube page.
This segment features James Craig, PhD, MA, Child Psychologist, Dartmouth Health Psychiatry, Lisa Hayward, PhD, Prevention Coordinator, Office of Social Emotional Wellness at the New Hampshire Department of Education, and Diane Fitzpatrick, MS, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester. Together, they discuss the common issues affecting the mental health of young people, how adults can identify problems early and the best ways parents, caregivers, teachers, guidance counselors and other adults can be a part of the solution.
“For younger kids, in particular, we often look at: what are their physical symptoms or signs that they’re under distress. So, we’re particularly looking for kids that might be having a sudden change in their appetite, a sudden change in their sleep habits, kids who might be visiting the nurse more often or complaining of headaches or stomach aches to adults,” said Craig. “And those can be a really good sign that something is wrong, maybe, when a kid doesn’t have the words to tell you that something is wrong.”
The panelists also discussed the role of educators and community organizations in providing young people with social and emotional supports, essential life skills and a sense of belonging and connection.
In partnership with the New Hampshire Union Leader and the Seacoast Media Group, The Heads Up series is a mental health awareness campaign that provides online resources, offers fresh perspectives and highlights community events on mental health-related topics.
To learn more about the Heads Up Series, resources on mental health or to view past newspaper feature articles and webinars, visit our Mental Health web page.
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire's only academic health system and the state's largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 56 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the state’s only children’s hospital, and multiple clinic locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene and New London, NH, and Bennington and Windsor, VT; Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.