Let’s talk children's mental health: Is it “too early” or “too late” to start thinking about it?

Imagine this: you’re a first-time parent whose due date was just pushed up 2 weeks and suddenly you’re feeling extremely unprepared. You’re nervous, excited, and most importantly, you feel the urge to educate yourself about everything. On the way home from the doctor’s office, you pick up a dozen parenting books and message all your friends for their list of mommy blog recommendations. While going through these great resources, you begin to jot down some questions about lesser-explored topics, including a couple surrounding Children’s Mental Health.

Luckily for you, in honour of Children’s Mental Health Week (May 5-11), I’ve teamed up with Dr. Heidi Kiefer, School and Clinical Child Psychologist, on a series of mental health blogs focused on the next generation. At the Y, we believe that healthy kids come from healthy beginnings. So, in this series, we’re working to break the stigma around children’s mental health and address FAQs from parents and educators alike.

To begin, I asked Dr. Kiefer if it’s possible to start thinking about a child’s mental health “too early” or “too late.”

In my professional opinion, a child’s mental health should always be a priority for a parent from the time of birth. In fact, it’s been said, ‘There is no health without mental health.’ After all, how can you enjoy the benefits of being physically healthy if you can’t realize your own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, and make a contribution to your community?

Dr. Kiefer also rounded up some stats that show parents can make a big difference by paying attention to their kids’ mental health while they’re young:

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 70% of adults with mental health difficulties indicated that symptoms started in childhood. Moreover, an estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness, yet less than 20% will receive appropriate treatment. Once psychological and behavioural difficulties develop, the prognosis for eliminating their impact on children’s well-being through intervention is far poorer than strategies designed to promote mental health or prevent disorders.

So, what should you be looking for?

There is no single cause of any mental health issue, Dr. Kiefer explains.

Genetic, biological, social, psychological, and economic factors all interrelate to set the stage for a child’s development and mental health. On the one hand, you have protective factors like physical and psychological safety, clear expectations for behaviour, family monitoring, and so on. Then, you have risk factors, including marital conflict, lack of adult supervision, stressful life events, poverty, community violence, etc. When the protective factors outweigh the risks, your child’s likelihood of developing a mental health problem is lower.

And the key question most parents and educators want to know: what can we do to help?

There is a key window of opportunity from infancy to early childhood, During this time, children’s brain pathways are forming and we know that ‘neurons that fire together, wire together.’ This means that when a child repeatedly has certain experiences, physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings trigger thousands of neurons and consolidate a neural network. The network helps the child to learn, store, and recall information about those experiences.

So, think of a child whose parent nurtures them and offers positive stimulation. That child’s brain creates networks that cause them to form expectations about healthy, safe relationships in which they can process and cope with emotions. In contrast, a child who experiences abuse or neglect develops networks that prime them to expect harm or to not have their needs met.

The take-home is that, during this window of opportunity, you can enrich the environment a child is growing up in, and reduce stressors that make them more susceptible to mental health problems.

Interested in learning more? Head over to our next blog where Dr. Kiefer shares the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders that can affect children ages 0-12.

At the Y, we’re dedicated to making our communities home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults. That’s why we offer accessible resources on our blog and website to help families foster healthy kids. To learn more about how YMCA Child Care offers kids a strong start to a great future, please visit our website.

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About Dr. Heidi Kiefer Ph.D., C. Psych.

Dr. Heidi Kiefer, Ph.D., C. Psych., is a clinical child and adolescent psychologist. At Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital of Toronto, she primarily works within the Child Development Program. Her focus is developmental assessments with children under 5 years of age to explore queries related to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, and other delays. Dr. Kiefer also works in private practice within Toronto and Oshawa, where she engages in individual and family therapy, parent counselling, and consultation services. She is an advocate for reducing the stigma related to mental health and advancing public funding for universal access to mental health services. Knowing how brave children and families are in seeking support, Dr. Kiefer is mindful of using creative and empathic practices to build rapport, understand experiences, and help them feel that they are not alone. To stay up to date with Dr. Kiefer or to connect with her, please follow her on Twitter.