Springtime can come with a lot of changes for kids and teens, including changing sleep patterns, time away from friends and school, and abrupt schedule shifts. Dealing with that level of change can introduce mental health challenges, according to a therapist.

During the transition to spring, children and teens face many abrupt changes, from disruption to their school-time schedule for a spring break trip or changes in eating habits.

Michelle Valdivia, an adoption-competent therapist with the Barker Foundation, said many changes come all at once around spring break, including weather, vacations and general schedule changes.

"Changing routines, social interactions, even the time change in the spring can affect sleep, energy, their mood," she said, "which makes kids more sensitive and/or irritable because they haven’t had enough sleep, or their food time frames have shifted.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency room visits among kids and teens for seasonal depressive disorders in Maryland spike during the springtime.

Valdivia said mental health challenges during spring break can manifest both behaviorally or physically. That includes rapid mood swings or excessive worrying about family, friends or school. Physical signs could look like an unexplainable stomach ache or headache, along with difficulty sleeping. She recommended seeking professional guidance if different coping tools don’t seem to be breaking through.

"Really encouraging them to use coping strategies to help reduce stress, so deep breathing, mindfulness, or talking to a trusted adult should help," she said. "If the anxiety persists or interferes with school, friendship, or daily life, it’s really seeking professional support."

Source: Public News Service