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AS statistics reveal significant increase in the number of children and young people reporting problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm globally, experts from the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) have stressed the importance of keeping young children both physically and mentally healthy.
Dr Fatema Musa, head of the Mental Health Programme at PHCC, says that"the emotional wellbeing of children and young people is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the skills and resilience to cope with life's challenges and help them grow into healthy adults".
According to Dr Fatema, regular exercise and a healthy diet, having time to play, feeling loved, trusted and understood by family and loved ones are important to ensure the physical and emotional health of a child.
"Negative feelings and attitudes of children and young people usually pass. But, if your child is distressed for a long period and if their negative feelings are stopping them from getting on with their lives, it would be a good idea to get help," she added.
According to recent statistics, Qatar has almost half a million people in the age range 0-18 years. Some of these individuals, during their growth and education, may encounter some medical and social issues that affect their health and development.
Dr Sadriya al Kohji, the national lead for Child and Adolescent Health and the head of Child and Adolescent Health at PHCC, says that"health services should empower children and their families/care givers to manage stress, feelings of anxiety and uncertainty." (TNN)
