Amid ICE arrests, posts express concern about immigrant children’s mental health
Commenters also spoke out against bullying and discussed ADHD in girls.
Commenters also spoke out against bullying and discussed ADHD in girls.
As Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity continues in Minneapolis, social media users shared worries about immigrant children’s mental health. Plus, posts highlighted the connection between school bullying and suicide and discussed gender differences in ADHD symptoms.
In light of these conversations, communicators may share mental health resources for immigrants, circulate bullying and suicide prevention resources, and outline ADHD symptoms and treatment options for girls and women.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in conversations about mental health
Recent social media posts expressed concern about how ICE activity in Minneapolis harms immigrant children’s mental health. On January 23, a Facebook user reshared the story of an 11-year-old girl in Texas who died by suicide last year after classmates threatened to call ICE to deport her family. The post noted, “Children across the country are voicing the same fears” and received approximately 5.6 million views, 166,700 reactions, 65,000 shares, and 16,300 comments as of February 4. Commenters shared personal stories about hearing immigrant children express fear of deportation and family separation.
In the past two weeks, several popular posts discussed recent and past child suicides that occured after the children experienced bullying at school. On January 28, a 12-year-old girl in Illinois died by suicide. A woman who identified herself as the girl’s mother wrote on Facebook that her daughter was experiencing bullying at school. Social media users responding to this story and others called on school officials and parents to prevent bullying.
Recent posts discussed how girls and women with ADHD may experience different symptoms than boys and men, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Commenters shared personal stories about how their ADHD went unnoticed during childhood. Some stated that girls are socialized to appear “fine” on the outside and may not show outward symptoms like hyperactivity and outbursts. Many expressed that having undiagnosed ADHD in childhood led to challenges in adulthood like exhaustion, sleep problems, anxiety, and binge eating.
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
The Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.
In response to conversations about immigrant children and mental health, communicators may share mental health resources for undocumented people of all ages and therapist directories where people can search for culturally competent mental health care providers. Messaging may also include tips for educators and other adults who are supporting immigrant students’ mental health.
Given discussions about the link between experiencing bullying and dying by suicide, communicators may share bullying prevention resources for children and their caregivers, plus the warning signs of bullying. Messaging may also outline the warning signs of suicide in children and teens and share mental health resources geared toward youth, including the peer support hotline YouthLine and the Trevor Project’s hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.
Conversations about ADHD in girls and women provide an opportunity to outline the symptoms of ADHD in this population. Messaging may explain that there are three types of ADHD with distinct symptoms: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and combined. Girls and women are more likely to have inattentive ADHD, which results in trouble focusing, difficulty completing tasks, trouble staying organized, and forgetfulness. These symptoms can be more difficult to recognize than the symptoms of other types of ADHD, which may contribute to ADHD being underdiagnosed in girls and women. Sharing information about where to seek ADHD diagnosis and treatment is recommended. Communicators may want to explain the types of ADHD medication and how they work, as well as online tools for ADHD management that people can use in combination with medication or on their own.