Children's Mental Health: What Are The Warning Signs? With NAMI's Dr. Christine Crawford

Inside Mental Health

Is your child moody — or is it something more serious? Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director at NAMI, joins Gabe Howard to break down the subtle signs of mental health struggles in kids and teens. Learn how to spot red flags, approach tough conversations, and take action without overreacting.

From understanding brain development to navigating crises, this episode offers expert tips and practical tools to help parents feel confident supporting their child’s mental health. Tune in for insights that could make all the difference.

“It's important that we kind of see past some of the worries about what a mental health diagnosis could do for a kid in terms of a label, because we're really thinking about the kid and hoping that they can be on a trajectory in which they can live out their best lives. But we have to provide them with the tools in order to get there, and we can't deny them that and deny them access to it, because we're worried that having a label of depression is going to ruin their lives. What will ruin their lives is not getting the help and treatment that they actually need.” ~Christine Crawford, MD, MPH

To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Today's Guest, Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH, is the associate medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which is the country’s largest grassroots mental health organization, and the author of “You Are Not Alone for Parents and Caregivers: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Education at the Boston University School of Medicine and also provides outpatient psychiatric care to children and adolescents at Boston Medical Center. Additionally, she’s the Medical Director for the Boston Public Health Commission’s School Based Clinician Program, in which she provides direct guidance on how best to support the socioemotional well-being of children within the Boston Public School System.

Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington.

Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com.

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