Ohio — Mass shootings this year have left a number of parents and kids feeling a little on edge as they get ready to start a new school year.
Not knowing what to expect, mental health experts across the country are now working to help deal with those anxieties that come along with it through the Sound It Out campaign.
What You Need To Know
- The Sound It Out campaign uses music to help parents and caregivers navigate difficult conversations with their children
- A study by the American Psychological Association showed that 48% of parents noted that there was an increase in anxiety and depression for their children said Dr. Charmain Jackman
- Suicide rates of black children ages 5-12 are now double those of white children according to experts
Dr. Charmain Jackman, Psychologist and founder of InnoPsych, Inc., noted that experts have zeroed in on the middle school and the teenage years because oftentimes conversations with that age group can produce word responses.
“Now we specifically address music because it's such an entryway into helping young people express their emotions,” Jackman said.
For youth of color, Jackman noted that it’s especially important because of the increases in depression and anxiety.
“We're seeing that in children ages five to 12 they have significant increases in their suicide rates, to the point where the suicide rates of Black children ages five to 12 are now double those of white children," Jackman said.
This is why health experts are calling for people to start paying attention and to try to understand what is happening with kids, and how conversations can be had so children don't feel like they're alone.
Her advice for the upcoming school year:
Find ways to engage in conversations with your children and about how they're doing
Have intentional conversations with your children about what they're feeling
Make space for the range of emotions that they may have