WORDS BY ERICA NEWTON, MYFIRSTGYM CO-FOUNDER
Parental superpowers are a real thing. Instinctively, you can tell when a lie has been told, if it’s been a hard day at the school desk, or when to pull out the ‘emergency’ muesli bar you’ve been carrying around for a month #hangry. Sometimes though, it’s much harder to put a gentle finger on a problem. When our kids slowly disengage, become withdrawn, increasingly jittery, explosive and worse, it’s almost as though an invisible kryptonite has been sprinkled over them. All we want to do as parents is ‘make them better’. But with the increasing prevalence of mental health issues presenting themselves in our children, we often have no idea what we’re looking for, who to turn to or even where to start.
Is mental illness in Australian children really that widespread?
Yes, it is.
There’s a common misconception that mental health issues emerge for the first time in adolescence. However, we now know mental health struggles often begin in childhood, with numbers rising. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), in 2015, 14% of children aged 4–11 experienced a mental disorder. The prevalence was higher in older children and adolescents, with about 1 in 5 teens reporting mental health issues. Anxiety disorders are the most common, affecting approximately 10% of children and adolescents. Depression rates are also concerning, with approximately 5% of young people experiencing depressive symptoms.
Even more disturbing, the Australian Psychological Society has found that mental illness in children between 4-11 years of age is most definitely on the rise. Their 2022 survey showed a sharp increase in the presentation of social anxiety (45% increase), peer relationship difficulties (39%), problematic screen use (36%) and educational and learning concerns (35%). According to Dr Andrew Leech, “Anxiety across all age groups is the biggest issue we are dealing with right now in primary healthcare.”
Why are our children suffering more mental health issues?
A global pandemic, environmental degradation, screens of every shape and size and a never-ending news cycle… there are so many different types of kryptonite negatively impacting modern childhood.
Other factors contributing to the rise in mental health issues among our kids include:
- Academic Pressure: can be extreme and lead to stress and anxiety.
- Social Media: impacts self-esteem and intensifies issues related to cyberbullying and comparison.
- Family Dynamics: divorce or parental separation can affect children’s mental health.
- Economic Factors: unemployment and financial instability within the family dynamic can contribute to mental health problems.
- Exposure to Trauma: trauma, abuse or neglect put children at a much higher risk of developing mental health issues.
- Stigma and Lack of Resources: Shame around mental health and limited access to mental health resources can prevent children and families from seeking help.
How do we help our children deal with mental illness?
As with most things, prevention and early intervention are better than any cure.
The Black Dog Institute states that those ‘children whose mental health challenges are identified early and addressed effectively see immediate and long-term benefits across their lifespan.’ We may not be able to put our finger on the exact problem, but there are lots of steps we can take to start addressing it:
- Early Intervention: Identifying and addressing mental health issues early can prevent more severe problems later. Schools, coaches and healthcare providers like your GP can play a key role in early detection and intervention.
- Mental Health Education: Australian schools have mental health detection and practices embedded within their curriculum, whilst initiatives like ‘R U Okay? Day’ help reduce stigma and promote understanding.
- Support Services: Diagnosis, counselling and therapy, is crucial to helping our children recover from mental illness. Ask your GP or school counsellor on who to approach for help.
- Family Support: Providing resources and support for families can help address underlying issues that affect children. Parenting programs and family counselling can be beneficial for everyone’s mental health.
- Healthy Lifestyle Promotion: Encouraging physical activity, healthy eating, and adequate sleep can improve overall well-being and resilience.
At MyFirstGym, we are rock-solid in the belief that, “participating in physical activity and limiting sedentary behaviour is critical to a child’s health, development and psychosocial wellbeing. (AIHW) But we also know that supporting our kids to be happy and healthy goes far beyond whether they can do a tumble turn or not. We know that wellbeing is multifaceted and this September we are proud to support the ‘R U Okay? Day’ initiative to raise awareness and assist our entire community to better mental health.
Afterall, every superhero needs a supportive sidekick, and we’re happy to put a cape on for all our MyFirstGym parents!