Healthy People 2020 Objective
One specific objective of Healthy People is dealing with mental health and mental disorders in early and middle childhood. The objective is to “increase the proportion of children with …show more content…
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents. It is suggested that screening children as well at parents for psychological problems as well as physical problems can be beneficial. Parental depression is regularly ignored, but over millions of adults suffer from it. By considering and having knowledge about the impact of parental depression and other similar disorders on children, one can support, treat, and prevent escalation of the problems. (Delaney, 2010). Many factors play into mental issues in childhood. Exposure to violence, abuse, poverty, inadequate housing, loss of loved ones, and especially physical disorders such as diabetes and obesity can coexist with mental health problems. (Gampetro, et all., 2012). There is a shortage of mental health specialists in ratio with the growing problem America is facing. Primary care providers do not feel confident in diagnosing and treating most mental conditions other than ADHD (Cleave, et all., …show more content…
Statistics show that untreated mental illnesses are connected to physical comorbidities, so no matter what specialty I am in, I will come across undiagnosed mental issues. Every nurse that works with children needs to be able to recognize mental health issues and be able to manage connected health needs. As I consider nursery nursing as a career, I will be involved with educating new parents and making sure the newborn has a safe and healthy environment to live in.
Conclusion
Well informed parents, primary care providers, and teachers are a huge part of catching mental illness early (Jensen, 2011). So many children go undiagnosed and as a country we need to make this problem a priority. The issue of mental health in children and adolescents needs to be brought to the forefront of this country’s health agenda. Prevention, early diagnosis, and proper treatment are the keys to nursing in mental health in