NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — May is Mental Health Awareness month, and a new poll from Vanderbilt University Medical Center shows one in four parents are worried their children have undiagnosed mental health problems.
This poll shows us what many have already been suspecting. Comparing numbers before and after the pandemic, COVID-19 played a role in the increase of mental health concerns among children.
Tennessee parents were polled in the fall of 2022 for this study.
Almost 30 percent are concerned their child has undiagnosed anxiety or depression, and more than 30 percent said their child has been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, or depression, which is a 7 percent increase since the question was asked in a 2019 poll.
Of the parents who reported a mental health diagnosis for their child, many were just diagnosed within the last year.
Doctors say suicide remains the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults nationwide.
Psychologists from Vanderbilt say pediatricians have to be equipped with resources and intervention tools to support children with mental health symptoms.
If your child is in a crisis... dial the suicide and crisis lifeline at 9-8-8 to get connected to resources.
