Sensible advice

Good to hear Ian Higgins' advice at The School and Public Health Nurses' Association Conference. He said that school nurses needed to advise parents that experimenting with alcohol or feeling sad did not mean that their child was an alcoholic or clinically depressed but was part of their natural development which, of course, involves much testing of boundaries. Whilst it is important to be aware of behaviour that could lead to ongoing problems, it can be far too easy to apportion mental health labels to behaviours and emotions that are natural and common to us all.

Ian Higgins is Nurse Consultant for South West London and St. Georges Mental Health NHS Trust.