KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — East Tennessee Children’s Hospital said it has seen an increase in the number of children who arrive as patients with mental health-related illnesses.
Physicians like Dr. Suzanne Rybczynski said those illnesses could include issues like anxiety and depression. They also said that oftentimes, mental health issues can manifest as physical symptoms at first, such as a headache or a stomachache. They also said the issues usually last longer than expected.
“Don’t just assume it’s, ‘Oh, they’ll get over it.’ If they’re making concerning statements, like they want to die or they want to kill themselves, you need to take them seriously,” she said…