Page 35 - Dainfern Precinct Living issue 7 2022

Today's Child

It’s a crazy

world out

there. And it

is just getting

crazier. Image: Chinh le Duc

s adults, most of us are in Although some of us may go out of Ritalin or Concerta to help.
survival mode as we sprint our way to shield them from it, it’s also
to keep up with the hamster discussed on the school playground, But the assessments often ended
Awheel of life, and it’s no often in ways that can make it far more up revealing something completely
surprise that South Africans, in particular, frightening, without context. unexpected. It turned out they
are stressed out. A study was conducted had exceptional intelligence, were
across 34 countries to determine the Then there’s the added academic completely stifled by a system that tried
Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) of various pressure, peer pressure and hectic to squish them into an ill-fitting box,
nations, and guess who came in stone extra mural commitments with minimal and were frequently crippled by anxiety.
last? Yup, Sunny South Africa. downtime. The assessments gave a very different
perspective regarding the so-called
Sit back and list the things South OUR CHILDREN ARE IN ADHD pandemic. Image: Catherine Merlin
Africans deal with every day. Even TROUBLE
though we are so desensitised to much According to UNICEF, 65% of adolescents Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-
of it, we don’t realise the burden it puts said they were struggling with their medication, and I fully believe that
on our mental health. Rampant crime, mental health but didn’t seek help. ADHD is real. I have spent enough
perpetual load-shedding, and the Many said it was because they didn’t time in the classroom to realise that
impossible task of obtaining a driver’s know where to get help, didn’t feel it medication can be life-changing
license when the only machine in the was severe enough to speak to anybody, when correctly prescribed in the right
country is broken. Then there is the or were afraid they would be judged. circumstances. But what stood out to
sky-rocketing petrol price, widespread Although there is far more awareness me was how anxiety often caused the
corruption, crumbling infrastructure, an than before, there is still a stigma same distractibility, inattention, poor
ailing economy and inflation. Of course, attached to mental health issues. And it work ethic and poor performance that
I can’t omit the part about surviving a needs to change. often accompanies ADHD. And when the
pandemic, which caused fear, isolation anxiety was tackled, the children thrived.
and anxiety worldwide – especially During the eight years that I taught at
when parents found themselves a school for gifted kids, I picked up on
suddenly juggling work from home things regarding anxiety in children. SO, HOW CAN WE HELP?
routines and having to navigate their Bear in mind that gifted kids – as well The most important thing we can do
kids through online schooling. as many neurotypical kids – are chronic for our kids is to be present enough
overthinkers that worry constantly. to recognise the signs, communicate
I am sure that just reading that And don’t assume this is limited to with them, and make them feel safe
paragraph was exhausting. Now, if you adolescents. I was teaching Grade 4 to communicate with us. Awareness
consider how challenging it can be, for most of my years there and often of your children’s mental health is just
take a moment to think about our kids. encountered anxiety in my students. as essential as physical health. When
We can become caught up in it all and Many of the children were referred to left unchecked, issues like anxiety
imagine that many of those things go us when their previous schools asked and depression can lead to countless
unnoticed by children, but they are far that they get assessments due to their problems down the road, including
more aware of what is happening in the distractibility, inattention, poor work substance abuse, self-harm and eating
world than we give them credit for. They ethic and poor performance. The aim disorders.
pick up on our stress and access what’s was to pursue a diagnosis of ADHD or
happening in the world through social a similar learning challenge with the As I mentioned in my previous article,
BY NICOLA KILLOPS media and overheard conversations. hope of getting them on medication like I am not a doctor or a psychologist.

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