WHY CALL C&A?

Dan Mucci • July 23, 2019

Today’s generation of kids are responding differently to child rearing techniques used in previous generations. Decades ago, parents were unfamiliar with certain emotional and behavioral challenges that kids are facing today. Parents used phrases such as “toughen up,” “you’ll get through it,” “this will be a good learning experience,” and “if it was good enough for me, it is good enough for you,” which are not resonating with today’s generation. Whether this is because of the rise of helicopter parenting, social media or a number of other factors, the needs of the new generational youth can be hard to grasp by today’s adults.


Navigating school, making friends and hormonal changes have always been difficult for kids and parents handle – the rise in a child’s independence. Some of the current stressors kids and young adults are facing existed a generation ago -the pressure to produce high grades; participate in community service activities to enter college; and working part-time in high school. Today, additional stressors include state-mandated testing, social media, electronic devices and children moving between households can take their toll on youth and families. Factor in trying to balance social and extracurricular activities; life can be a lot to handle. You need to ask yourself if the problems your child is facing are indications of a deeper issue.

A couple common anxieties

Test anxiety is a common struggle for children today. Test anxiety can be experienced in a variety of ways – from physical symptoms which includes sweating, shaking, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, fainting and nausea to behavioral issues such as fidgeting or outright avoidance of testing situations. When experiencing repeatedly or over prolonged periods of time, this can lead to depression, anger and low self-esteem.

Nail biting is an often-overlooked manifestation of anxiety. For some kids, nail biting is a way to relieve stress. For other kids, it might signal nervousness or a sign of boredom. In some cases, the need to engage in this behavior (and the discomfort felt when unable to do so) is so strong that it can be interpreted as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Emotional changes:

It is normal for every child to experience unpleasant feelings such as sadness, loss, disappointment, frustration and anger. Emotions may be experienced more intensely or may change more dramatically during certain developmental stages – such as the “terrible twos” or adolescence – as kids strive to figure out their personalities, the limits of their abilities and their roles in the world. Unpleasant emotions may also be triggered by difficult life events such as death of a grandparent or other loved one, the introduction of a new child into the family or moving from one housing situation to another.

Divorce and parental separation can be distressing experiences for children. Regardless of age, gender or culture, these changes have a deep and long-lasting impact on children. Younger children may wonder if mom and dad can stop loving each other, could they stop loving me too? Children of any age can feel rejected or abandoned and wonder if they are in some way responsible for the break up. They may exhibit anger, irritability, challenges to authority, withdrawal from close relationships or even panic attacks. As adolescents begin dating, they may be reluctant to trust or may doubt the possibility having love that lasts long-term. Studies have found that depression and anxiety occur at higher rates among children from divorced households.

Behavioral changes:

Sudden or dramatic changes in a child’s behavior may be signs of a bigger underlying problem. Changes in sleep, eating or hygiene habits can be indications that the child is feeling stressed, depressed or anxious. Unexplained weight loss or weight gain can also be linked to distress. Changes in social functioning such as withdrawal from friends and family, sudden lack of interest in activities that the child used to enjoy or suddenly hanging out with a whole different group of friends can be signs that the child is struggling.


Some behaviors, such as the inability to sit still, difficulty concentrating, increased irritability and forgetfulness are often interpreted as symptoms of ADHD. While it might be that the child has ADHD, this is not the only explanation for these behaviors. These might also be symptoms of anxiety or even attempts to cope with a traumatic experience.

How to find answers?

The simple solution is to see a mental health provider. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma associated with mental health care. Many parents are uncomfortable seeking mental health services because they are afraid they will be told there is something terribly wrong with their child or that they have failed as a parent. The reality is when a child is coughing and sneezing, parents do not hesitate to contact a pediatrician or visit a stat care. Parents should feel the same comfort in seeking professional care for their child’s mental health.

Here are a couple steps to consider before calling C&A:

  • The first step is to speak with your child. Describe what you have noticed. Explain that you are concerned because you care. Ask the child to tell you what he/she has been experiencing and find out if he/she has a different explanation for those behaviors.
  • Contact a few of their closest friends and see if they have noticed a change or can verify child’s explanation.
  • Contact a teacher/school official to find out if they have noticed similar behaviors or had similar concerns at school.


C&A has many therapists and case managers who provide school-based services, which means they are able to work with children and adolescents at their schools. This can be particularly helpful if the child is having problems that interfere with academic functioning or experiencing difficulty in their interactions with peers or teachers. Additionally, many families find it convenient to have access to mental health services right there in their child’s school.


C&A also offers traditional office-based services at several locations throughout Stark County. Some children who are functioning well at school may not need to be seen at school. Some parents prefer to keep their child’s mental health services separate from school. For some issues, such as trauma, involve dealing with very uncomfortable experiences or intense feelings and it might be preferable not to do this at school.


If your child is seen at one of our offices, this experience will be a similar to a pediatrician (minus the long table) or dentist office (without the long relaxing chair) - where the child speaks freely revealing symptoms and the clinician/therapist provides techniques or skills to resolve the issue.


C&A is ready to assist your child and family in building lives filled with health, hope and happiness. C&A is simply a phone call away. We are here to assist resolving a child and/or family’s issues with convenient day and evening appointments. For more information, call 330-454-7917 or 330-433-6075.

RECENT POSTS

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

By Mary M. Kreitz • November 21, 2024
For many people changes in the seasons also bring changes in mood, energy, sleep, weight and appetite. Some researchers have found that as many as 90% of people report noticing these types of changes in themselves. However, for some people, the changes are so intense that they interfere with the person’s ability to function in their daily life.  Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a type of clinical depression that occurs with a consistent seasonal pattern. The symptoms of SAD are the same as those for other depressive disorders; what is different is that the symptoms begin every year around the same time, last for several months, and then go away for the rest of the year. The most common form of SAD is what is known as winter-pattern SAD in which depressive symptoms start in the fall or early winter and end in the spring. Another less common form is known as summer-pattern SAD and is associated with depressive symptoms that occur during the spring and summer months and improve in the fall.

ELECTION ANXIETY

By Mary M. Kreitz • November 6, 2024
The 2024 election has brought a lot of fear and stress into the lives of people throughout the country. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 77% of adults in the US are worried about the future of the nation, 73% reported feeling stressed out about the economy and 69% reported feeling stressed about the presidential election. When adults are feeling this high of a level of stress, you can bet that children and adolescents are feeling it too.

TRUSTED ADULT

By Daniel Mucci • October 1, 2024
Are you a trusted adult to your child or someone’s child in your life? What are the characteristics of a trusted adult?  Trusted adults are viewed by children or adolescents as a safe figure that listens without judgment, agenda or expectation, but with the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging positivity within a young person’s life. Today’s youth identify a trusted adult as someone who is willing to listen and engage, rather than lecture and give orders. Young adults are interested in having open conversations about mental health, social media, bullying and sharing their own experiences.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

By Daniel Mucci • September 9, 2024
Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) The Canton Repository Let Your Light Shine presented by the Massillon Eagles FOE #190 is Sept. 21 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Canton, from 6-9 p.m. The 19th annual event supports the youth mental health programs and services C&A provides each year to our 4,100 clients.

WHY PRIDE MATTERS FROM A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

By Mary M. Kreitz • June 18, 2024
You have probably heard the scary statistics. LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for serious mental health problems (such as anxiety and depression) than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. They’re more likely to consider suicide, more likely to attempt suicide and more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-harm.

HOPE AND HOPELESSNESS

By Dr. Robert Willoughby • June 4, 2024
Hope and hopelessness play a large role in the phenomenon of suicide and depression including that of children and adolescents (Liu, et al., 2021). On the positive side I am always reminded of the use of hope to overcome hopelessness in stories reminiscent of a hero’s journey. Stories, where in the face of insurmountable odds, one digs in deep to find themselves, their own hope, and the hope of others joining together to help whilst overcoming trials and tribulations (Campbell, 2011).

988 IS LIFELINE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

By Dan Mucci • May 16, 2024
Suicidal ideation is on the rise nationwide, especially among teenagers and college-age students. Post COVID, adolescents are struggling to handle a variety of situations and have limited coping skills to help them through the challenges. One of the biggest challenges is loneliness.

STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

By Dan Mucci • April 16, 2024
The sixth annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week is May 6-10 Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children will partner to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 53,000 students and 7,000 support and administrative staff in all 18 Stark County School districts.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES

By Chris Alpert • November 16, 2023
In the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? as introduced and explored in first of this three-part blog post series, the participants engaged in multiple workshops that address race and racism. Interpersonally, the group of students grapple with their own differences and similarities, which impact the content and emotions they share with each other. There are several moments in the film that demonstrate the clear differences in the participants’ understanding of race. In the first workshop, the students were exposed to the idea that all white people are inherently racist seeing as American society was founded on principles meant to support white people (see more on structural racism here, here, and here for further understanding). Several white students in the film became emotional during that workshop. Most students remained quiet. Following this workshop, a black student and a white student were filmed independently of each other in their own homes and discussed the workshop and what they learned with their families. The white student discussed the differences between structural racism and bigotry with her mother and struggled to identify with the principles taught in the training. The black student stated to his mother how almost everything spoken in that workshop applied to him. The student further discussed his feelings by stating how overt racism is and yet how “subliminal” it is at the same time. How can something be so in your face and yet under your feet simultaneously? I immediately reflected on the dialectic of something being so clear and yet so vague. The film continued to grapple with student differences. At the beginning of the film, one white male student discussed with his mother how he feels that all individuals, if they apply themselves wholeheartedly, have the same chance of success regardless of their skin, gender, sexuality or other demographic factors. As a white man myself, I must confess that when I was in high school, I had the same mindset. How could it be different? Especially when I was reading mythic bootstrap literature in high school classes. Sure, the harder you work the more you deserve, but that statement does not work for all Americans. I had not accounted for racial factors that inhibit the growth of others, not to mention socio-economic factors, nationalities, citizenship status, gender and age. I continued to reflect on these statements and connected them to my experience in high school in New York City. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement responding to the murder of George Floyd, multiple private progressive schools in New York, including the one I went to, suffered scrutiny from students and alumni who identify as black, indigenous people of color (BIPOC). Multiple Instagram accounts surfaced with the handle “BLACK AT [school name].” I read the posts in 2020, and again before writing this post, and remembered feeling horrified knowing these acts of racism, bigotry and microaggressions happened all around me. This was subliminal to me, yet overt to others.
More Posts
Share by: