Providers see increase in children experiencing anxiety, depression and behavioral changes

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Pediatricians and mental health providers say the push for mental health services in childhood is needed now more than ever. This comes after the CDC reports a sharp increase in children being diagnosed with mental health disorders.

According to recent studies more and more children are being seen for anxiety, depression and behavioral changes. and local mental health advocates are saying that early intervention is key. 

 Tammy Hargis is the Regional Behavior Health Supervisor for Lutheran Family and Children Services of Missouri, she’s worked in the mental health field for more than 20 years and says currently there’s more children diagnosed mental health services than in previous years, which she says could be due to a number of different factors.

“Here’s sort of my personal feeling. We used to live in community, right. So, a lot of the support that parents used to have, they don’t have now. So, you know, used to live close to maybe grandparents, aunts, uncles, because a lot of people had support in the community and even understanding what’s appropriate developmentally and now I think that that’s not always there and sometimes you need a therapist to kind of step in and help with those transitions and understanding.” 

According to studies from the CDC children diagnosed with anxiety disorders have raised by more than 15%, specifically in teens and early teens. Hargis says this has a lot to do with outside factors such as internet use, video games, phone use, children are exposed to more at a younger age.

 “In influences that you can’t control outside of your home, even if you control them at home, your children leave and they’re exposed to all sorts of influences, that caused increased anxiety” says Hargis. 

Hargis explains that the sooner children receive mental health services the easier it is for them to learn healthy habits at a young age that they can carry over into adulthood, such as mood regulation, controlling anger, and talking about their emotions. 

Hargis says that parents often set the stage for how children handle their emotions.

“As parents are talking about their emotions and parents are talking about their feelings, that’s helpful” says Hargis.  “And I’ll be honest, if dads are talking about their emotions, that’s really helpful because we still have a little bit of a stereotype, you know, even though we push not to, for men to talk about their feelings.”

The Lutheran Children and Family Services have several offices throughout the region, with one location in Cape Girardeau. Hargis shares they have trained professional’s ready to assist children through any stage of mental health, whether it be grief, sleep issues or behavior issues and the Cape Girardeau location has a room dedicated to therapy play for children.   

To setup an intake appointment you can call or go their website:

1-866-326-5327

Building Better Tomorrows | Lutheran Family and Children’s Services