Emad Salman, MD

Lindsey Morton: Suicide is the third leading cause of death in children under the age of 14. A problem Dr. Emad Solomon says can be prevented. Dr. Emad Salman: About one in five kids, that's 20% of children, by the age of 14 would have a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Lindsey Morton: Conditions that currently have few options for care. Dr. Emad Salman: There is a big fear of mental health. It's a cultural fear. Lindsey Morton: The most common mental health condition for children under 18 are anxiety and depression. Dr. Emad Salman: Most of the treatment is behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been scientifically proven to make a difference. Lindsey Morton: Golisano Children's Hospital and Lee health are working together with the community to improve access to mental health care. This can mean more outpatient facilities and more mental health care specialists. Dr. Emad Salman: Right now when a child or a young adult has an overdose of a medication, a cry for help, we send them to the emergency room, they get admitted to the hospital and usually within 24 hours they're cleared medically. And then we have to find them a facility. Lindsey Morton: Last year, about 24% of children had to leave the area to get treatment due to lack of beds in Southwest Florida. Dr. Emad Salman: For over five years, the number of children that had to be Baker Acted, which means people thought they were a danger to themselves, increased almost 300% in our region. Lindsey Morton: Studies show it can take years to diagnose a mental health condition. Dr. Emad Salman: The brain is just an organ and like any organ in your body it can get sick and when it's sick it needs to be healed. Lindsey Morton: Healing health experts hope can start here. For Lee health, I'm Lindsey Morton.