BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) — The Lowcountry Alliance for Health Youth is a community-based organization that promotes positive development in children. On Monday, the organizations hosted researchers who presented findings of the latest study on mental health.
Parents, community members, and young people gathered at Bluffton High School for the presentation. Doctors from the Medical University of South Carolina talked about the findings of adolescent brain cognitive development study that’s underway at the university and 20 other facilities around the country.
The study looks at how factors like a child’s environment, sleep patterns, and parents affect a young person’s mental health. Also, conditions like ADHD and anxiety play a huge factor in this research.
Only two years of data have been analyzed so far, but experts say it’s clear more monitoring of children is a key component.
Dr. Anna Kirland, from the Medical University of South Carolina, says parents and guardians have to be in the know at all times.
“We need to be very aware of what is happening in the lives of our youth and being hands-on and protecting them. That we have seen over many studies and many different domains that parental involvement and monitoring is a crucial protective factor”. Kirkland says.
To learn more about the organization as well as resources, click the link below.