Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle

Rose’s parents recall the nightmare of losing their daughter to something, but they didn’t know what.

After a bullying incident at school, she slowly started to lose her motor and cognitive thinking skills. She could no longer ride a bike, and her writing suddenly became illegible.

Her parents took her to specialists, one of whom hooked wires to her skull to record her brain activity. Then, after a two-week monitoring program at BC Children’s Hospital, she was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. She recovered with age, but her parents wished they had access to what B.C. parents now have access to without ever leaving their homes – a new intervention program for children suffering anxiety.

Recently, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions announced the spending of $3 million for the Anxiety Program where parents can get coaching over the phone. 

“When a parent reaches out for help, the last thing they need to hear is to take a number,” said Minister Judy Darcy in a tele-conference participated in by the Oliver Chronicle.

The program includes access to educational videos and weekly telephone coaching sessions available starting April 29.

The Anxiety Program – a new offering under the existing Confident Parents: Thriving Kids service – is designed to reduce the impact of anxiety on children age three to 12.

A total of 14 of 20 coaches have been hired and are completing orientation and training.

In addition, to meet the needs of indigenous families, the ministry is working with indigenous peoples and organizations to develop a culturally sensitive model for this program, expected to launch in fall 2019.

The new Anxiety Program builds on the success of the existing Behaviour Program, which parents and caregivers have accessed since 2015. It includes a series of six to 14 weekly telephone-coaching sessions in a flexible format, using exercises and workbooks.

Trained coaches empower parents and caregivers to learn effective skills and techniques that are proven to prevent, reduce and reverse the development of mild to moderate behaviour difficulties, including aggression, attention deficit or disruptive behaviour.

Parents can access both programs at times that work for them, such as evenings and weekends. (A medical referral is required to use these programs.)

Darcy said it is estimated that 84,000 young people are dealing with mental health challenges, but only one in three are getting support.

She stressed the importance of starting intervention at a young age to prevent problems from becoming severe, leading to substance abuse.

Leigh-Anne Lafrance, family specialist for the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, said they deal with many children and youth who have anxiety.

“There are so many different reasons why this occurs. I wish we understood more about it.”

But she’s glad to see the new program being launched.

“Any new program that can help serve our families is always a very good thing.”

Shendah Benoit, principal of student support services for School District 53, said mental disorders may affect between 15-20 per cent of all Canadians, according to the teen mental health curriculum the district uses.

“The youth of our school district are representative of this information,” she said.

Benoit noted they had a recent training session for Grade 2 to 4 teachers to explore anxiety strategies utilizing prevention and resilience-building resources.

In June, the district will partner with South Okanagan General Hospital to learn about a program supporting children and youth living with mental health and substance abuse issues.

“I am looking forward to learning more about this service and how it can support children and families of School District No. 53,” Benoit said.

Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development, said: “You’re only as happy as your unhappiest child.”

She has four children and has experienced difficulty with anxiety too. “It’s time to take the issue of youth mental health out of the shadows.”

Conroy stated it’s not just a case of a difficult child who needs better parenting (as some people might think). It’s more than that, and now parents will be given the support they need.

“They need to reach out. It’s okay to reach out for help.”

Doctor Charlotte Waddell, a professor at Simon Fraser University, said if you want to solve the opioid crisis and depression problems, you need to start intervention early in childhood.

She noted that anxiety problems represent the most common problems for youth today, adding that 25,000 youth are struggling with anxiety disorders at any given time.

During the tele-conference, Parent Tiffany Samson said she and her husband were “pulling our hair out” trying to deal with their child’s anxiety issues.

“Before we took the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids Behaviour Program, I was overwhelmed. I felt like I wasn’t equipped, I didn’t have the tools to deal with our daughter’s behaviour.”

But after completing the program, they saw a huge improvement in their daughter’s happiness.

Bev Gutray, chief executive officer of CMHA BC, said everyone has anxiety, adding it’s necessary to keep people safe and motivated.

But it affects many children in negative ways. For example, it can create physical reactions such as stomachaches that result in the child staying home from school.

Gutray believes that increased rates of anxiety may be due to improved identification by parents, teachers and pediatricians.  “However, the reasons for the increase over time are unclear.”

She noted that parents and caregivers are being educated on the value of emotional and social learning.    

Gutray was asked if anxiety among children is being blown out of proportion. Are we pampering kids too much and making too big a deal about their stress?

 “We need to remember that a child who is struggling with an anxiety problem is having a difficult time functioning in a variety of situations and is scared that the feelings will never go away. This can impact ‘normal’ daily activities in a big way.”

Gutray said the impact of untreated anxiety is significant and negatively affects quality of life for the child and the family.