Good Growing

Mental Health Referral Service

Our entire nation is experiencing a youth mental health crisis. Families looking for help for their kids often have a very difficult time finding it. This is where Washington’s Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens can help. It connects families with mental health and behavioral health providers in your community who accept new patients, work with your insurance and are a good match for your child’s treatment needs.

Operated by Seattle Children’s and funded by Washington Healthcare Authority, the Referral Service:

• Is free.
• Serves all of Washington state.
• Provides specific and thorough referrals for kids ages 17 and younger.
• Allows teens ages 13 to 17 to find providers for themselves by calling the Referral Service directly.
• Is committed to serving families as quickly as possible.

The Referral Service helps families with a wide range of needs, including:

• Individual therapy.
• Medication management/psychiatric referrals.
• Parent training.
• Diagnostic evaluation (discovering and pinpointing the issues and conditions a child or teen may be dealing with).

By the end of 2023, 12,829 families had received help from this free resource to find mental and behavioral health services in their communities. In a survey of 1,182 families who used the Referral Service, nearly all said that it met their needs and that they would recommend it to other families.

Mollie Shirman, the Referral Service’s business operations manager, explains, “Accessing mental health care for your child can be difficult. Washington’s Mental Health Referral Service has a database of over 4,900 mental health providers that we update each day. Our program can help you navigate what your child needs and find appropriate referrals. You are not alone!”

To get started using the Referral Service:

• Call 833-303-5437 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.

or

• Complete an online request.

Approximately 2 weeks after their intake, families receive information for 1 or 2 recommended providers who are a good match for their child’s individual needs.

Treating Mild Diarrhea

When a child suddenly has 3 or more very loose or watery stools (poops) in a day, they have diarrhea. Usually caused by a virus, diarrhea often goes away on its own within a day or 2.

For mild diarrhea (when there are 3 to 5 watery stools a day) a child can continue their regular eating and drinking. This includes breastmilk/chestmilk, formula and cow’s milk.

The main risk of diarrhea is dehydration, so offer extra fluids to keep your child hydrated. Water and products like Pedialyte that are formulated to replenish fluids and electrolytes are helpful. Watered down 100% fruit juice and broths are other options. Avoid sodas and full-strength sports drinks, which have high amounts of added sugars, and may worsen diarrhea.

For babies younger than 1 month with diarrhea, call their doctor right away to get care.

Learn more about treating mild, moderate or severe diarrhea, including when to call a doctor or get immediate medical care.

Health Risks of E-cigs

While vape devices can be used for marijuana, this article focuses on electronic cigarettes that contain nicotine. 

Parents and caregivers can help ensure that tweens and teens never develop the e-cig habit. Be sure you understand the health risks of vaping with electronic cigarettes, so you can tune in to your child’s behaviors and feel confident talking with them.

While traditional cigarette smoking among tweens and teens has decreased in recent years, vaping has increased dramatically. E-cigs can be legally sold only to those age 21 or older, but kids still manage to get them. These devices heat a liquid containing nicotine, flavorings and chemicals to produce an aerosol or vapor that’s inhaled. E-cigs can look like regular cigarettes, or they can resemble pens or USB flash drives — all of which are small and easy to hide.

The most essential thing to know about vaping is that it’s very dangerous. Many kids try it because they falsely believe e-cigs are non-addictive and harmless. In fact, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Nicotine can cause both physical and mental problems relating to attention, learning and memory. Also, e-cigs can contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde plus metal particles such as nickel, lead, chromium, tin and aluminum — which can cause permanent lung damage.

Parents can and do influence kids’ choices! Talk with them about the dangers of vaping and e-cigs today.

Take a Pause

There are times when we as parents need to take a pause before speaking, especially when we’re feeling frustrated. We can take a deep breath and choose our words carefully. Taking a moment to calm ourselves and think things through allows us to respond with love and compassion. That way, we can avoid saying something that is hurtful or that we’ll regret. As we pause, we can take a few relaxing breaths, picture a calm scene in our mind, and even step away for just a moment if we need to.

It’s easy to forget to take a pause. If we do say something to our child that’s harsh, we should apologize. We can simply name the feeling we had and tell them we regret our behavior. Something like: “I’m feeling rushed and worried we’ll be late getting you to school. I’m very sorry I snapped at you.” By apologizing, we’re modeling an important life skill!

Life Jacket Fit Matters

Life jackets save lives, and a correct fit is crucial. The right fit is based on a child’s current size and weight: too big and the jacket can push up around a child’s face, too small and it may not keep their body afloat. Test the fit by putting the life jacket on your child, ensuring the straps are snug. Have your child stand with their arms at their sides. Grab the shoulders of the life jacket and lift straight up. If it moves more than 3 inches up or above the child’s ears, it’s not a safe fit. And remember that life jackets for younger children must have both a collar for head support and a snug strap between the legs.

Learn more about life jackets for children and teens.

Healthy Snacks: When, What and Where

Families thrive on healthy habits and routines. Having a regular snack schedule for your child is a smart practice. For most kids, 3 meals plus 2 snacks a day is a healthy way to go. This fuels them with the nutrients they need to think, learn, grow and play. Offering regular meals plus small healthy snacks also helps a child discover how much food their body really needs.

Create well-balanced snacks by choosing items from 2 or 3 different food groups, including fruits and vegetables. For example, berries, yogurt and nuts provide a fruit, dairy and protein. Carrots, string cheese and whole-wheat crackers provide a vegetable, dairy and whole grains. Offer a wide variety of foods so your child learns to try new tastes. And invite them to choose and help prepare the snack with you.

Whenever possible, avoid snacks that are seen as "treats" such as foods that are too sugary or salty or that offer empty calories. A snack should serve as a mini meal by satisfying hunger, but it should not cause a child to fill up so much that they don’t want to eat at meal time.

If possible, give snacks at a regular eating spot like the kitchen table or a counter. When the weather allows, it’s fun to eat outside on a patio table or picnic table. Or enjoy a "tailgate" snack in the car after playing at your favorite park. Wherever the location, make the food (along with some friendly conversation!) the focus.

Avoid snacking while watching screens, as this can lead to automatic or unconscious eating. Being fully aware of what they’re eating allows a child to feel their body’s cues that tell them whether they’re hungry or full. This ability to tune in to their body is a crucial skill that will serve them their entire lives.

Get more tips on healthy eating habits.