Orlando-based Central Florida Behavioral Hospital had to add 20 percent more beds for adolescent patients to account for the rise in admissions compared to August 2022, according to an Aug. 17 report from clickorlando.com.
The hospital has seen a 47 percent increase in youth patients from multiple districts across the region, Windy McCarty, regional director of Central Florida Behavioral Hospital, said in the report.
Cherlette McCullough, a licensed counselor at Winter Park, Fla.-based Center Peace Couples and Family Therapy, attributed the heightened number of pediatric admissions to changes in school curriculum and guidelines, bullying, academic pressure and economic hardships faced in the home.
Parents must be alert to changes in their child's behavior, such as a change in eating habits or a lack of motivation, as these are potential signs of anxiety or depression, Ms. McCarty and Ms. McCullough said in the report.