The 11 “action signs” are written in everyday English instead of medical jargon — for example, if a child experiences “sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing.”

The list is endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other groups.

“The child mental health field needed something like what cancer had done” with its seven warning signs for the disease, said Dr. Peter Jensen, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist who led the creation of the action list. “It needed some kind of crisp, easily understood messages that parents, teachers, health care providers could … relate to.” The list seeks to help parents differentiate normal childhood moodiness from abnormal levels of aggression, depression and hyperactivity.

Here are the 11 warning signs parents should watch for:

• Feeling very sad or withdrawn for two or more weeks
• Seriously trying to harm or kill yourself, or making plans to do so
• Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing
• Involved in multiple fights, using a weapon, or wanting badly to hurt others
• Severe, out-of-control behavior that can hurt yourself or others
• Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to make yourself lose weight
• Intensive worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
• Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that puts you in physical danger or causes school failure
• Repeated use of drugs or alcohol
• Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Drastic changes in your behavior or personality

Confusion by parents and doctors is one reason why as many as half of children with serious mental disorders are untreated, according to estimates by the U.S. Surgeon General, and also why some healthy children are misdiagnosed with disorders they don’t have.

“We needed to do something to help flesh out people’s understanding about what it meant when a child really did have a problem,” said Gary Blau, a clinical psychologist with the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “It’s different than just being a phase of sort of the traditional ups and downs of growing up. There is a difference between that and having a significant mental health problem.”

The difference often is when behaviors last for a prolonged period of time or affect other people. “Feeling very sad or withdrawn” isn’t enough, unless it has persisted for at least two weeks. “Severe mood swings” alone aren’t a warning sign on the list unless they “cause problems in relationships.”

The list was tested against children with diagnosed mental disorders to see if it would accurately forecast their conditions. A resulting study found that many of these children wouldn’t be detected by the symptom list. On the other hand, the study found that the list wouldn’t mistakenly identify children whose behaviors were normal pangs of growing up.

“As we wrestled with that, we realized there would be a potential for confusion or even harm if parents were worried when they didn’t need to be worried,” Jensen said. “And so what we did was we erred on the side of making sure that this child really has a problem” if he meets any of the action list criteria.

A report in the journal Pediatrics lists the action signs and the science and psychology behind them. Jensen said the word suicide was replaced with “seriously trying to harm or kill yourself, or making plans to do so,” because parents didn’t necessarily identify the term with children.

The list will make it easier for parents to decide whether to seek help for their children, Jensen said, because they only need to answer “yes or no” to the action signs. They don’t need to evaluate whether their kids meet complex diagnostic criteria for mental disorders.

“If you have five or six or seven things to weigh, decisions are very difficult, but if you have a simple yes-no decision, it becomes much easier,” Jensen said. “That’s what the Cancer Institute did when they created warning signs like 20 pounds of unexplained weight loss” as a predictor of cancer.

Out of 15 authors of the report, Jensen and one other researcher reported financial relationships that could present conflicts of interest. Jensen has been a paid consultant for drugmakers Shire and Janssen-Ortho. While the list could certainly hasten the rate at which children receive psychiatric medication, Jensen said it was not developed with any corporate interests in mind.

Advocates for three national patient organizations spoke in favor of the action list. They said they hope it would make it easier for teachers and doctors to believe parents when they express concerns, and for troubled children to receive faster treatment.

“Children may go as long as 10 years without intervention,” said Ruth Hughes, the chief executive for CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). “Just think about what that timeframe is in a child’s life.”

Article sources:

The “Action Signs” Project – Mayo Clinic Research Institute

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/wellness/132788583.html,

http://www.childrenhealthwizard.com/mayo-clinic-lists-warning-signs-to-help-diagnose-children-with-mental-disorders

Discrimination and stigma have made it harder and harder for people with mental illness to keep a job, secure a home, get health insurance, and find treatment. This site is designed for people living with mental illness—and their friends. You’ll find tools that support the recovery process, information on different types of mental illness, and real-life stories about support and recovery that illustrate how friends can make all the difference.

Recovery is more likely in a society of acceptance, so this initiative is meant to inspire young people to serve as the mental health trailblazers, motivating a shift toward acceptance and getting rid of negative attitudes about mental illness.

Serious mental health conditions in this age group are almost twice as common than in the general population, yet young people have the lowest rate of seeking help. With greater social acceptance and the right support and services early on, this group has the potential to minimize future disability and change the way people deal with mental health conditions.

Please visit http://www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov

Supporting your Student’s Learning Now and Throughout the Year
Support the learning environment. This fall, teachers will be spending time helping students adjust to their new classroom, surroundings, or grade expectations to ensure everyone has a positive and productive year. Families too, can support these efforts by familiarizing themselves with many aspects of the school environment such as rules, routines, and grade level expectations. Talk to your student about the school or classroom rules and routines, as well as the excitement of making new friends. Listening to your child’s story about how they experience the school day is an important way to discover how they think and approach learning. If you anticipate upcoming challenges your student may experience, it’s important to contact the teacher early in the year to discuss ways to support your child’s success.

Getting back to basics – the school year routine! Enough cannot be said about a predictable schedule for young preschool and elementary school children. Returning to the ‘fall schedule’ may be initially difficult, but starting early will help students get their “game on” for the new school year. Avoid waiting until the night before school to “get back into the fall” sleep schedule. Instead, try to stave off possible delays or problems by giving your family a head start. At least one week before school starts, try to get ready for bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier each evening, until you reach your target hour. During the year, getting up early can also avoid the stressful “missing the bus and being late in rush hour.” Starting early can make for a relaxed and comfortable start to the day for you, your family, and your student!

Let’s Talk! Talk to your child about worries, fears, or concerns they may have about the upcoming school year. Attempt to reframe these worries into “excitement, discovery, and challenges” that you can both work through. By anticipating or predicting “sticky” spots, you can help your student increase their ability to cope with uneasy or stressful social situations. Talk to your child about what they can do and find a way to build on their strengths. Ask your child what their hopes or goals are for the year. What are some responsibilities they would like to take on around the house? What do they expect from themselves in the classroom? How might they do that?

Look to the future. Once school is underway, providing your student with something to look forward to during the year can help ease much of the ‘humdrum” that can set in during the year. Having something to look forward too, such as a school event, a classroom activity, as well as a school break or holiday can serve as pick-me-ups and motivators throughout the year. For example, celebrating the end of the first month of the school year, and anticipating the next holiday (e.g., Halloween, or Thanksgiving break) can help break up the year and help students keep with the passage of time.

Acknowledge neutral and positive behavior to get the best from your student. Rely on positive reinforcement to get your child excited about learning again. Focus on what you want your child to be doing  – not what you don’t want them to be doing. For example, praise or acknowledge your child after putting their shoes away, or getting a book out to read instead of chiding them for not putting their things away or doing their work. Be as specific as you can when you recognize your child doing something well instead of offering global praise, for example, “It looks like you were concentrating really hard on getting your spelling list out and starting your school work – you didn’t even need me to remind you! That’s great! How did you do that?” Acknowledging your student helps them to capitalize on the feelings it brings to them when they do something (e.g., how did it feel to get this all done?). Try to use external rewards like trinkets, treats, or other material rewards sparingly. This may help to avoid students relying on something outside of themselves to get them motivated to do something they might otherwise find interesting, challenging, or somewhat enjoyable. Ask your child what might be interesting or challenging about a seemingly boring or difficult task, and reinforce their effort and motivation to preserve even when it does get less interesting. Listen to how they are thinking about the task and what helped them get through it.

Fake it until they make it. Homework may not be your idea of fun but getting excited about doing homework may be an important motivator to your child. Show enthusiasm for what they are learning…even if you can’t recognize the math! Model curiosity, inquisitiveness, and excitement about what they are doing in school and bringing home.

Seek balance. Families and their students can get caught up in the activities and events of the year, but remember to help your family maintain a healthy balance of work and play along with family time.

Staying healthy and limiting TV, online time, and gaming. Several Michigan schools have made significant changes in their dietary offerings in the school meal selection, from fried foods to baked, and offering greater choice and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Families too, can encourage healthier food choices by giving kids healthy foods in funny shapes or having kids pick out at least one veggie or fruit to pack for lunch. Encourage physical activity –  walks, outdoor play, or supervised play in parks. Avoid too much TV, video games, and computer time, which can have negative influences on your student’s learning and development. Encourage their use sparingly and get to know what your kids are watching on TV, doing on the computer, and playing on the game station.

More on Getting Back to School – There are several websites devoted to Back to School topics and school readiness for young children. Below is a list of resources and research reports on school readiness posted by the National Council on Family Relations, a national organization dedicated to research and practice for family life development.

• The U.S. Department of Education has tips for parents on getting children ready to attend school.
• North Dakota State University Extension has a new school readiness program “Gearing up for Kindergarten.”  This video describes the program and shows all the fun and education that parents and children can have together while preparing for school.
• The U.S. Department of Education has  a booklet on School Success for your Child, Homework tips for parents, and Tips for helping children read.
• From the Michigan Department of Education, Family and Community Involvement, Back to school motor and bus safety and Get Ready for School.

The Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to understanding and responding to the effects of media on the physical, mental and social health of children through research, production, and education.

Given that media play an ever-expanding role in children’s lives, how can we use media to promote the physical and mental health of children and adolescents? This site is designed to help both children and those who care for them to learn how to use media in safe and healthy ways. Lots of hot topics, such as cell phones, video games, smoking in the media, and much more.

http://www.cmch.tv/

Website visitors can:

• Learn about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options;
• Get tips on managing ADHD at home, school and work;
• Watch a “Fireside Chat” video series of leading psychiatrists discussing the condition;
• Read personal stories about living with and managing ADHD;
• Keep up with current ADHD research; and
• Much more.

Check out the new ADHD Online Resource Center at www.nami.org/adhd.

The survey looks at whether parents are treated as equal partners in their children’s education. Topics include whether the rights of students with disabilities and their parents protected throughout the special education process, including IEP meetings and IEP issues, eligibility (Child Find), Due Process hearings (impartial hearings), and other education issues.

There are surveys for all community members:

• Parents of children with disabilities
• Self-advocates (people with disabilities)
• Attorneys, advocates, and other professionals

The survey will run through May 2011.  The results will be compiled into a report about experiences under the IDEA that will be published this summer.

For more information, contact Jessica Butler, Coordinator, IDEA National Survey Project, at jessica@jnba.net

Mental Health America has produced two new empowering brochures to address teen stress and depression. Created with input from parents, youth and advocates, these brochures provides readers with effective tips, strategies, and resources to help a youth in crisis.

Teen Stress and Depression: Guide for Teens combines teen stress and depression into one comprehensive brochure. It discusses symptoms, potential causes, offers an action plan and ways to seek help.

Teen Stress and Depression: A Guide for Parents is the adult companion to the teen guide to help parents understand and support a teen in “stress overload” and to help parents learn more about the signs of depression, possible causes, and how to get help for their child.

For more information and to order copies, call 1-800-969-6642, ext. 7537.

With help from families, providers, and the community, young children can demonstrate resilience when dealing with trauma. Visit Childhood Trauma’s Impact on a Child’s Developing Brain to learn more.

What helps?

• Parental resilience
• Social connections
• Knowledge of parenting and child development
• Concrete support in times of need
• Social and emotional competence of children

The workshop will focus on understanding how trauma affects children. Attendees will improve their ability to communicate with children who have experienced trauma, learn ways to reduce the stress of parenting a traumatized child, and learn skills and techniques to influence children’s behavior and attitudes.

One of the organizers, Kelly Sauter, BSW, Northern Lakes CMH Children’s Case Manager, explained that, “This training stems from a statewide effort to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for traumatized children and their families. Our hope is to create a community of trauma informed foster parents who can serve as a resource to individuals interacting with traumatized youth.”

Another organizer, Donna Van Brocklin, Services Specialist and Licensing Consultant for the Crawford County Department of Human Services, said, “We find that all children who come into the foster care system have experienced some type of trauma, whether it is from the neglect and/or abuse they have experienced or just from being removed from their family and home. It is important for foster parents to have the knowledge and skills to be able to help these children while they are placed in their home. At this time, Crawford County has 23 foster homes that do an excellent job helping foster children deal with the emotions and feelings they are experiencing and sometimes the behaviors that come along with these. This training will help foster parents and relatives that are helping out as caregivers to add more skills to their bag of tools.”

This project is funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

For additional information call Kelly Sauter at Northern Lakes Community Mental Health at (989) 344-3009 or Donna Van Brocklin at Crawford County DHS at (989) 344-5126.