KCTV: Promoting Strong Mental Health in Children

With recent celebrity suicides covered in the headlines, it is shining a light on suicide prevention. A recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than half of those who have died by suicide "did not have a known diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death."  

According to the latest Vital Signs report by the CDC, suicide rates have been rising in nearly every state. In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans age 10 or older died by suicide. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death.

Experts from Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City's Crittenton Children's Center know that mental illness often stems from childhood experiences and how children learn to cope with negative situations at a young age affects how they handle negative and stressful situations as an adult. 

Amanda Davis, Intake Director for Saint Luke's Crittenton Children's Center, talks with Jessica Reyes about what parents can do at home to help their children become more resilient, the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions, and why it is so important.

Watch the live morning coverage below.

Hear why it is important to let your children make mistakes and how we should talk about suicide. 

Hear why sheltering your child from bad experiences can hinder them later in life.

Hear about ways you can help promote strong mental health in your child.