Kids Need Mental Health Days Too — Here's What Parents Should Know

Kids deal with a lot every day — school, sports, homework, and social pressures. Sometimes, it all gets to be too much. Two doctors from the Pittsburgh area say that children can and should take mental health days when they are feeling overwhelmed, but parents need to understand the right way to use them.

Dr. Gary Swanson is a child psychiatrist at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh. He says that kids can burn out just like adults do. Between schoolwork, after-school activities, and social media, children can easily get stretched too thin. Parents should pay close attention to changes in their child's mood or behavior, even if nothing seems obviously wrong.

Dr. Swanson encourages parents to gently ask questions if they think something is bothering their child. A child might be stressed about unfinished homework, a bully at school, or something embarrassing happening online. Kids don't always speak up on their own, so a little digging from a caring parent can help. The sooner a problem is found, the sooner it can be addressed.

Dr. Emily Mudd, a child psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, agrees that children's emotional health deserves serious attention. She says mental health days can be used well, but only if they are handled the right way. Simply staying home and watching TV or playing video games all day is not the goal. A mental health day should help a child rest, recharge, and make a plan.

Both doctors warn that using a mental health day just to avoid a problem is not a good idea. When kids skip school to dodge something scary or stressful, it often makes things worse. Dr. Mudd explains that the longer a child avoids school, the harder it becomes to go back. Avoidance can turn a small problem into a much bigger one over time.

Instead, a mental health day should include real rest and real problem-solving. Dr. Swanson points out that whatever is causing the stress will likely still be there the next day. So kids and parents should use the time to come up with a plan to deal with the issue. Talking it through, getting organized, or reaching out to a trusted adult can all help.

Parents should also know that kids rarely ask for a mental health day using those words. Instead, a child might complain of a stomachache or headache before school. If these physical complaints happen again and again, there may be an emotional reason behind them. Paying attention to these patterns is one of the most important things a parent can do.