HMS School Nurse
Greetings! As school continues to roll out and students are in full force with their academics, the nurse’s office continues to have non-stop visits each day. Many of those visits can easily be treated with medications, snacks, rest, or simply just listening. Some visits though, reveal that students are dealing with a lot of mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression.

Students who are experiencing mental health concerns often report that they have a stomachache but are not able to pinpoint a location, describe the type of pain, nor identify a cause. Headaches are another very common report. They also may say, “I just don’t feel good today.” Building rapport with these students and giving them time to share their concerns is crucial. In doing so, sometimes they are able to identify an underlying issue which may need more than what the nurse can offer.

Parents play a huge role in mental health and wellness. Many times parents are already aware of underlying anxiety and depression when the nurse reaches out. Other times they are not. That’s okay!

Mental health and wellness is not something that can be fixed overnight. Communication is key! It starts with parents communicating with their child.  Include your child’s school counselor or nurse as needed. Teachers play a vital role in your child’s success too! If the student continues to struggle, then outside counseling is a great resource. Feel free to ask your school nurse or counselor for a list of counselors in our community.

Here are some great ways to ensure your child can be successful in and out of school:
• Relationships and behavior — there may be a correlation! Monitor your child’s behaviors and relationships, including their relationships with electronic devices! Are they addicted to their device? Who are they talking to? Are they engaging in positive conversations? How does your child feel after spending time with certain friends or being on an electronic device? Does your child have any concerns that they need to share? Sometimes they may just need a listening ear!

• Sleep! Middle school children should be getting at least 8-12 hours of sleep. If you are seeing an increase in behaviors or physical symptoms, encourage your child to go to bed earlier in the next coming nights. Avoiding electronic devices one hour before bed will help reduce sleep disruptions.

• Exercise is a natural way to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Go for a walk with your child. Schedule workouts together. Workouts can be done at home at no cost to you. The internet has an endless supply of at home programs that can be tailored to your liking.

• Healthy meals — at this age you might start seeing body image concerns. Talk with your child about healthy meals. What type of food items are they grabbing? Another trend that is concerning is the use of energy drinks to manage fatigue and weight loss. Sometimes kids are buying drinks from friends at school and parents are not aware. The effects of energy drinks can worsen anxiety and depression.

• Family Time! As schedules fill up, pencil in time to spend as a family. Or take it to the next level and schedule one-on-one time for each child. Sometimes all we need to do is engage with our children and provide love, reassurance, and guidance as often as possible, even when times are busy!

Submitted by HMS school nurse Raleigh Larson