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SEEDS of positive mental health for children

Dr. Lee Lewis, child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MUSC.
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Dr. Lee Lewis, child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MUSC.

This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Lee Lewis about the SEEDS of positive mental health for children. Dr. Lewis is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MUSC.

TRANSCRIPT:

Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It's important to promote positive mental health and resilience for kids in everyday, proactive ways. Doctor Lee Lewis is here to provide some details. Doctor Lewis is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and he's the Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MUSC. Doctor Lewis, I know you're a big believer in the whole idea of planting the seeds for good mental health for children. Tell us about that.

Dr. Lewis: Well, Bobbi SEEDS is actually an acronym. And what it stands for in my mind are the five key elements of making sure that your child is prepped for positive mental health. SEEDS stands for: the first S is sleep. Making sure that your kid is getting enough sleep. The first E is exercise, making sure that your child is getting enough physical activity, and we sort of think of that as like making sure your kid gets a little sweaty every day. The second E is extracurriculars or expertise. They're mastering something. The D stands for diet, or making sure that your kid is getting enough protein and some balanced carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits in their diet to make sure they've got the fuel that they need to perform well in their life and at school. And then the last S, which is really important, stands for support.

Conner: And tell us more about why these five components are so important for kids just in everyday routines.

Dr. Lewis: So, making sure that all of these things are really at their highest potential really sort of sets kids up in each individual environment that they're working through to have the tools that they need to be able to function well.

Conner: And when you talk about extracurriculars or expertise at something, tell us a bit more about that and why that is so important for every child.

Dr. Lewis: This is so important because every kid needs to feel like they're being productive. They're learning a skill. They’re feeling like they're becoming experts. And even more importantly, it gives the parents and other adults in their life a chance to praise them consistently for something, which develops that sense of pride.

Conner: And you say support is important not just from parents, but from other people in their lives. Tell us more about that.

Dr. Lewis: In every instance of where a child may be, it's good to have support. And that's making sure that outside of just your family, your child has enough adult support to be successful. And, that support can be from teachers, from coaches, from mentors, sometimes even from older brothers and sisters and grandparents. Just to make sure that in every location that they might experience some anxiety, or some fear, that they have people around them that they can count on and that they can trust and that can support them in those areas of their life.

Conner: And Doctor Lewis, for families who feel like they're practicing this approach and this lifestyle for their kids and their family, but they see that their child is struggling sometimes. What's the next step to get some help or see if help is needed?

Dr. Lewis: For families that feel like that, they have maximized these elements and really have incorporated them in their lives and are doing well. If your child still seems to be struggling in school or at home or in social relationships, the next step would be to talk to your pediatrician about what's going on and see if there might be some professional help that might be needed.

Conner: Doctor Lewis, thanks for this information about helping to support each child's mental health.

Dr. Lewis: You're welcome. Bobbi, thanks so much for having me.

Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.

Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.

Bobbi Conner has been producing and hosting public radio programs for over 30 years. She was the longtime host of the national Parents Journal public radio program. Conner has lived in the Charleston area for over twenty years.