Some things change every year in pediatric care. Vaccine schedules update, treatment protocols shift, new research reshapes old advice. But this year, one topic is rising above the rest, and it's not about the body. It's about the mind. "We're spending a lot of time in continuing education for mental health in youth," says Brenda Hayek, MSN, CPNP, a pediatric nurse practitioner at ABC Pediatrics.
The teenage brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex, doesn't finish developing until around age 25. That's the part responsible for judgment, impulse control, and managing emotion. Layer constant access to social media on top of a brain that's still under construction, and you get a generation facing pressures previous ones never had to navigate. "What a teen goes through today is so different than what we dealt with," Brenda explains. "Bullying doesn't go away anymore, because it's on the screen all the time."
So what can parents actually do?
Start with conversation. Real, screen-free, sit-down-together conversation. Know who your kids' friends are. And know that it's okay... more than okay, to delay a phone or social media access until your child is older.
Then watch for the signs. Consistent changes in mood, appetite, sleep, or activity level are red flags worth paying attention to. Every kid has a rough day here and there. But when those rough days start affecting friendships, home life, or grades, when a child can't get out of bed, when sadness or hopelessness sticks around, it's time to reach out, whether that's a healthcare provider, a school counselor, or both.
"Children of all ages can display evidence of mental health issues. Parents, please don't be late to the game," Brenda pleads.
She's been working with kids since the late 1990s, and she's watched the numbers climb, especially since COVID. Persistent sadness, panic attacks, even kids turning to substances to self-medicate. These aren't rare exceptions anymore. They're showing up more and more in everyday practice.
Her message to parents is simple, and she wants it to land: seeking help for your child's mental health is just as important as seeking help for strep throat or asthma. One isn't more legitimate than the other. "Don't be embarrassed to call your provider. There is no stigma here."
Mental health struggles in kids aren't a parenting failure or a family secret. They're a medical issue, treatable and manageable, but only if they're brought into the light instead of hidden in silence.
That's the kind of care Hayek and the team at ABC Pediatrics in Fayetteville aim to provide every day, not just for the hard conversations, but for all of it. The practice has stayed independent and small by design, not owned by a larger organization, which means providers actually get to know the families who walk through their doors. They watch kids grow up. They celebrate milestones. They remember names without checking a chart.
"We try to make all welcome," Brenda says. "We are like a family, and we hope that shows when we see our patients."
In a world where kids are navigating more than ever, that kind of personalized, know-your-name care might be exactly what families need.