Pandemic reveals depth of children’s mental health needs

(Maureen Downey/ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) — The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the depth of mental health problems among children. At a webinar Tuesday, Karestan Koenen, a Harvard professor of psychiatric epidemiology, gave a snapshot of the mental health status of children. It was a disconcerting picture.

“One thing we have found is that the rates of mental health problems among kids, particularly depression and anxiety, have doubled during the pandemic,” she said. About one in four children is experiencing depression, and one in five is experiencing anxiety.

There are also reports of increased behavior problems, especially among children with ADHD and autism, and rising substance use among teens, she said. (…)