Parents often think that their children don’t pay attention to the stresses that they go through, but more often than we think, children understand the struggles and even share their parents sentiments when passing through a difficult situation. There is a big rise in psychiatric hospitalizations of Latino youths—86% in California between 2007 and 2014, which is very high compared to other ethnic groups.
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According to state data, psychiatric hospitalizations of Latino children and young adults in California are rising dramatically and at a much faster pace than others. The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development reports that among those 21 years of age and younger, the rates have risen up to 86% in just 7 years. Those rates are very alarming compared to a 21% increase among whites and 35% among African-Americans.
Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness
It’s often difficult to pinpoint when children and teens have mental illness unless you seek professional help, but there are some early warning signs that can help you recognize there’s a problem. According to the American Psychiatric Association, these are the early warning signs of mental illness:
- Withdrawal — Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in others
- Drop in functioning — An unusual drop in functioning, at school, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems thinking — Problems with concentration, memory or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain
- Increased sensitivity — Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations
- Apathy — Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity
- Feeling disconnected — A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality
- Illogical thinking — Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult
- Nervousness — Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling
- Unusual behavior – Odd, uncharacteristic, peculiar behavior
- Sleep or appetite changes — Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care
- Mood changes — Rapid or dramatic shifts in feelings
Many parents see this list and think that their teen is just being a teen and that they might have one or two of these, but when their behavior becomes too much to handle or they don’t want to talk about what’s bothering them, it might be time to seek medical help. One of the best things parents could do for their children is be more involved in their lives and get to know them, that way when something is off, they will be able to tell faster and get them the help they need.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a great resource because they have various programs and campaigns and even hotlines that cater to the needs of youth suffering from mental illness and offer the support to their families when they need it the most.