Children’s mental health needs to be addressed, which is a big problem

It’s September, and whether a child returns to school this week or has been back to school for a couple weeks already, now is the time to check in on their mental well-being.

Recently released data on Wisconsin students’ well-being, shows persistent problems. The Wisconsin State Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) highlights these trends.

Only a quarter of high school students get sufficient sleep every night. Getting the recommended amount of sleep at night, is critical to mental health. Caregivers can prioritize the importance of sleep, by removing all screens from bedrooms at night. Having screen-free bedrooms can also help reduce online bullying and unhealthy digital habits. More than half of high school girls say bullying is a problem in their school. A large share of girls report significant problems with anxiety and sadly, about a quarter have seriously considered suicide. That translates to 93,000 high school girls, who were feeling suicidal last year.

“Clearly, we must address youth mental health,” said OCMH director Linda Hall. “We are facing a big problem, but I want to reassure caregivers that there are actions families can take, which have been shown to directly improve children’s mental health.”

First, adhere to sleep routines. Second, create or update the family’s media plan, covering times and spaces that are screenfree. Third, identify extracurricular activities that provide in-person connections for a child. These might be music lessons, sports or after-school clubs.

“The type of activity doesn’t matter as much as giving your child something to look forward to, outside of the classroom,” said Hall.

Back-to-school time can be both exciting and stressful. By helping a student develop healthy routines and learning to cope with stress, will set them up for a successful school year, as well as improve their mental health.

For a resource guide, visit children.wi.gov.