Podcast Episode: Dr. Shivana Naidoo - Talking it Through

Dr. Shivana Naidoo - Talking it Through

This episode discusses mental health crises and mentions suicide. If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, know that you are not alone and help is available. You can call or text “988” - the National Crisis/Suicide Hotline. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Dr. Shivana Naidoo is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with a broad range of experience working in various settings including inpatient, outpatient, emergency, partial treatment, and private practice both virtually and in person. She joins Jo-Ann and Candida to discuss communication when a child or teen (or anyone) is in a difficult mental health situation or crisis in a school or healthcare setting.

Dr. Naidoo emphasized that parents and teens are empowered in most situations to ask questions, to get more information from other sources, and to not agree to anything that doesn’t seem right. She acknowledges that the available care options vary depending on where you live - state by state, county by county as well as the type of place you live in such as rural, suburban, or urban settings. However, in general, there are protocols for schools and hospitals to follow when a student of any age presents behavior or symptoms that indicate the need for further evaluation. If there is a situation at home in which parents/caregivers may question whether to inform the school, the risks of survival and health of the child should be considered.