FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDVM) — During a Fairfax County Public Schools town hall meeting on Wednesday, pediatrician and president of the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Michael Martin, presented data showing a major increase in levels of depression and anxiety in students.
Martin said pediatricians statewide have noticed toddlers through college-age students have had many problems being away from the social setting and the learning environment.
A study was done in late winter surveying over 200 pediatricians in the Commonwealth on trends they were seeing in their patients. 90 to 95% of pediatricians reported increased or greatly increased levels of anxiety and depression in students.
“I can tell you, in practice, most of us are seeing a huge increase in the number of kids we’re admitting to the hospital for mental health problems. I’m probably, in my practice, admitting one to two kids a week. I wouldn’t do that in the size practice I have in maybe once every six months, I would have one child be admitted,” said Martin.
Martin said that it is only getting worse, which is why he is an advocate for students to return to in-person instruction.