Multicultural families urged to put mental health first

Key points

• A paediatrician writes that families from multicultural backgrounds should treat mental health with the same seriousness as physical illness. He describes a teenager who grew quieter and lost interest in sport, with no obvious cause, until hidden pressures to succeed and to meet family expectations surfaced.
• The author argues that listening, rather than offering quick advice, helps young people and relatives open up.
• He lists warning signs such as withdrawal, sleep trouble and falling school performance, and urges people to see a health professional when symptoms persist.