Mental health is a critical issue that needs to be addressed in children and adolescents. The ongoing COVID 19 pandemic has seen a significant rise in children and adolescents with mental health issues, thus significantly reducing their lifespan. A news article by New Bridge Medical Centre affirms the deteriorating mental health of many children and youth and advocates for providing services to take care of children in the same way that various governments have put measures to fight the pandemic.
This news article on mental health effectively evaluates the issue of mental health in children and adolescents, showing how anxiety and depression, and conduct disorders are increasingly affecting children. Using statistical data, this news article confirms the rising percentages of children secretly suffering from mental health and to whom appropriate measures should be taken before it is too late to help (Bergen New Bridge, 2022). This news article also details the consequences of deteriorating health of children, with death by suicide being the most common of the worst consequences of poor child mental health.
This news article is appropriate because it addresses an emergent issue that directly affects the lifespan of children and adolescents. People with mental health issues such as chronic anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia are more likely to die younger than their peers without psychiatric disorders. Children are no exception to this occurrence, as the article confirms an increasing number of premature deaths due to children suffering mental health issues. This article is also suitable in that it outlines various efforts that have been put in place to address and find a solution to the mental health issues affecting children and the youth. For instance, it documents that the Bergen New Bridge Medical Centre in Paramus is making efforts to build a new emergency department in 2023 with an additional 13 more beds for mental health services and a special section for children and adolescents (Bergen New Bridge, 2022). It was, therefore, a suitable selection to address mental health and how it affects lifespan.
Typically, this news article stresses the essential role that mental health plays in the overall lifespan of children and adolescents. It insinuates that a failure to address this issue has significantly led to an increase in premature deaths. According to research by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d), Children with mental health issues fail to reach developmental and emotional milestones and, as such, have a low quality of life. With this poor life quality involving episodes of distress and problems that get through the day, these children and adolescents are more likely to engage in activities that could end their lives, such as committing suicide. Generally, poor mental health has also been found to be associated with the occurrence of physical illnesses. Therefore, even if a child or adolescent’s lifespan is not directly affected by the mental issues, the physical disease that accompanies it more often results in premature death.
The article by New Bridge Medical Centre documents that while many people have put less focus on the mental health of children and the youth, it has come out to have many dire consequences on these groups as far as their lifespan is concerned. Ideally, children and youth with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety have an increased risk of premature mortality. As such, it is crucial that everybody or institution mandated to take care of children’s needs efficiently address this issue.
References
Bergen New Bridge, (2022) Bergen New Bridge expands mental health services for children, adolescents. New Bridge Medical Centre.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d) Children’s Mental Health. Children’s mental health report.