We task ourselves with assisting
children and adolescents with their mental health situations

CRECE - Mental Health For Children And Adolescents

Providing adequate mental health care for children and adolescents can be a complicated process. This population is characterized by continuous and accelerated mental and physical development, so these changes can precipitate, complicate or mask emotional and behavioral problems.

The Panamericano System has designed the CRECE PROGRAM where we offer acute hospitalization services for children and adolescents, in which a multidisciplinary team works these situations hand in hand with the patient and his family.

Panamericano provides hospital mental health care for children and adolescents from 13 to 17 years of age, who have psychiatric conditions among which are: severe anxiety, depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder, among others.

One of our main goals is to be able to teach our patients how to develop confidence and improve their self-esteem, learn coping mechanisms and develop skills to solve problems that can promote a better quality of life, communication and a healthy social interaction at home and school.

Our therapeutic approach to treat children and adolescents fulfills this main objective in order to achieve the best possible results for our patients.

We ensure that parents, guardians and loved ones participate in the treatment to increase the probability of success of our patients, even when they return to their environment in the community.

Our programs for children and teenagers:

  • CRECE program for teenagers (13 to 17 years old)

Signals of Alert in the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

Suicide

The most common warning signs are:

  • Isolation from family activities.
  • Change in sleep pattern.
  • Change in feeding pattern.
  • Deterioration in personal appearance.
  • Give valuable belongings.
  • Make farewell notes that you give to people.
  • Speaking very often about death.
  • Verbalize your desire not to exist.
  • Become irritable, does not follow instructions and shows social isolation.
  • Complaints of continuous boredom.

What should we do?

Maintain open communication with your children, do not judge and openly explore their thoughts of death. Explore possible conflicts you are facing. Provide a space for the child or adolescent to express themselves freely, do not interrupt. Take the warning signs as something serious and don't let time run. Look for help!

How to handle the problem?

Once the problem is identified, professional help should be sought immediately. It is necessary that the necessary psychological and psychiatric evaluations be carried out to establish the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

The Challenging Negativist Disorder

Challenging Negativist Disorder is a mental health condition that affects children and adolescents. Children and adolescents with this condition tend to have problems in the three basic areas of their lives: family, school and their social and community environment. Their behavior interferes with their interpersonal relationships, significantly affects their school performance and, if they do not receive help in time, they may have problems with justice. The causes of this condition are unknown, but studies have shown that its diagnosis affects genetic factors (parental inheritance), family and social factors that increase the possibility of developing the condition.

Symptoms of this condition

A child / teenager with this condition is expected to manifest this behavior for at least six (6) months consecutively.

  • He gets angry frequently.
  • Argues with adults constantly.
  • Challenge actively comply with adult requests or rules.
  • Annoying or provoking others.
  • Blame others for their mistakes.
  • It is often spiteful and vindictive.

Alcohol and Drugs

A significant group of teenager’s experiment with alcohol or drugs. Many factors can contribute to adolescent to initiate this consumption. Among these factors are:

  • School problems
  • Parental separation
  • Difficulty establishing positive interpersonal relationships
  • Social pressures
  • Genetic influence

Principles of Prevention

Talk openly with your child about the effects of alcohol and drugs. Be alert to the following signs:

  • Frequent changes of mood.
  • Frequent aggression and impulsivity.
  • Low self-esteem and sadness.
  • Truancy.
  • Isolation of family and friends.
  • Breath of alcohol, sedation, changes in appetite and sleep pattern, among others.

What should I do if I suspect my son or daughter uses any substance?

Instead of arguing and making the situation worse, seek help from a teenager mental health specialist. The therapy will allow both sides, your son or daughter and you, to understand each other. You can know their fears, feelings and improve the relationship. Patience is vital in the process because it could be one that takes time. If your child uses drugs or alcohol for a long time, it is likely that the solution is not so easy or quick to find. The specialist may recommend you seek help at a specialized center.

Depression in Adolescents and their Warning Signs

  • Poor school achievement
  • Isolation of family and social activities
  • Multiple complaints and physical symptoms
  • Trouble sleeping or sleeping excessively
  • Frequent behavior problems and irritability
  • Exaggerated attention to food and body weight
  • Shows disinterest in the activities you liked before
  • Losses or separations of significant people are triggers for depression and thoughts of death or suicidal thoughts

Prevention Strategies

Find out about the development process your child is going through so he can offer support and effective solutions when he needs it. Help your child know and how to face life's challenges in a positive way. Establish effective communication, practice family sports activities and get involved with your child in decision making.

Recommendations

If you notice any of the signs of depression, talk to your child and seek professional help immediately. Monitor your activities closely and offer support to attend treatment.

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Warning Signs

  1. Isolate yourself from society and want to be alone.
  2. Having mood swings, such as euphoria one day and deep discomfort the next.
  3. Feeling trapped or hopeless because of some situation.
  4. Increase the consumption of drugs or alcoholic beverages.
  5. Change the normal routine, including eating and sleeping patterns.
  6. Demonstrate personality changes or feel extremely anxious or agitated, especially when you have some of the warning signs mentioned above.