EveryDay Strong: Helping children talk about mental health

Dr. Dana Munn of Revere Health Family Medicine recently appeared on United Way of Utah County’s EveryDay Strong podcast to discuss how parents can partner with healthcare providers to help their children struggling with anxiety or depression.

Your child’s pediatrician is one of the most important players in supporting your child through anxiety or depression. They can prescribe medications, help you understand the chemical nature of what’s happening with your child, and help you make sure all their physical needs are met (like helping them sleep or eat better).

But how can you make this relationship as optimal as possible? What does a pediatrician want you to know about how to work with them?

What is the first thing you want parents to know?

First thing I want you as the parent to know is that you are not alone. You are dealing with this as well as any other parents are. It’s often around this time where we start seeing these things pop up in the preteen or the teenage years. Also, I want you guys to know that this is a medical disease as well, it is not something that just happens because things are not going good,” said Dr. Munn. “But just like high blood pressure is a medical diagnosis; depression, anxiety all of those are also medical diagnoses and there is often something else going on inside of them; with even neurotransmitters something like epinephrine or adrenaline.

I do hear a lot of parents feeling like it’s a personal failure if their child is struggling. What I am hearing you say is that at least remember there is a biological component that may or not have anything at all to do with your parenting.

100%,” said Dr. Munn. “I would say that family situations often can strike a chord in some kids but there is usually something else going on underlying.

Stream the full EveryDay Strong episode wherever you listen to podcasts.