Health Check Podcast: How parents can promote good mental health in children

We speak to Ms Andrea Chan, assistant director of Touch Mental Wellness, about the things that parents can do to make sure their children are mentally healthy. PHOTO: TOUCH COMMUNITY SERVICES

Joyce Teo

Senior Health Correspondent

Updated

Published

Aug 18, 2021, 06:00 PM

Health Check Ep 66: How parents can promote good mental health in children

21:10 mins

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Parents play an important role in promoting good mental health in their children. They are often the first to notice if a child is having problems with his or her emotions.

In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks to Ms Andrea Chan, assistant director of Touch Mental Wellness, about the things that parents can do to make sure their children are mentally healthy. Ms Chan also talks about the stigma associated with mental health and how she helped a young person get the help she needed.

This is the last of a two-part series on youth mental health. In the previous episode, we touched on the stressors faced by young people in this pandemic, what parents can say to their children about the recent River Valley High School murder case, and the signs and symptoms of mental distress to watch out for.

Listen to Pt 1 - How to reach out to youth with mental health challenges: Health Check Ep 65: https://omny.fm/shows/health-check-1/how-to-reach-out-to-youth-with-men…

Helplines
• National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am)

COUNSELLING
• TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
• Touch Care Line (for seniors, caregivers): 6804-6555
• Care Corner Counselling Centre: 1800-353-5800

MENTAL WELL-BEING
• Fei Yue's Online Counselling Service: eC2.sg
• Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
• Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) / 1-767 (24 hours)
• Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
• Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
• Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Fa'izah Sani, Hadyu Rahim & Penelope Lee

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim & Penelope Lee

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