Sunbeam Raises Awareness For Infant Mental Health

They may be small, but Sunbeams Family Services is working to make sure their future is big and bright. 

“It's very important that caregivers whether that be a biological parent, or a foster parent, and adoptive parent, or a teacher; it's very important that we have attuned caregivers for children,” Hannah Worlitz said. 

Worlitz said a baby’s earliest relationships have a profound impact on their well-being and it's never too early to look for help for your child. 

“We know that 10 to 16 percent of young children face mental health challenges and that number actually goes up 22 percent when we're looking at children who are living in poverty,” Worlitz said. 

Worlitz said even if your toddler can't fully communicate their feelings to you their behavior is something to look out for. 

“Children can tell us they're struggling without saying. Some signs I think to look would be withdrawal being a big sign of children. We have screenings that we do for the classrooms that look at attachment relationships in classrooms so how children form bonds with adults how they do with separation and reunification things like that,” Worlitz said. 

Sunbeams said Celebrate Babies Week just highlights the work they do year-round. They said trauma can happen at any age, but it's how you address the issue that matters. 

“Catching these things early on can prevent further and more intense problems down the line. We know that early intervention can lead to greater outcomes for children in schools down the line, in the workplace, in their adult lives in important areas of functioning,” 

News 9 is teaming up with Sunbeam to raise money for its new Edwards Early Education Center. If you'd like to donate, follow this link.