News Byte: Medical Student Authors Children’s Book About Depression

Student Doctor Syed Hasnain, a fourth-year medical student at NYITCOM-Arkansas, is pursuing a career in child and adolescent psychiatry, and as he prepares to graduate from medical school, he’s already produced a tool that he hopes will help children and parents address depression in young people.

In October, Hasnain self-published a book titled, Let’s Talk About Feeling Sad. The 22-page paperback book is designed for parents to read with their children.

“Mental health is something that can be really difficult for kids to talk about,” Hasnain says. “There aren’t a lot of books on the topic that are targeted to children, so I thought this could potentially help. I wrote this book to help make it easier for kids to discuss their feelings with their parents, which is something kids don’t often do.”

The book is written at a child’s level but also as a way for parents to help them respond to potential conversations the book will help foster.

“My hope is that it will help parents recognize the signs and symptoms of depression so they can take the appropriate action,” he says.

Hasnain worked with a friend to illustrate the book so it would be visually appealing to children. While writing it, he consulted NYITCOM’s faculty pediatricians to get their feedback, which he found helpful.

Hasnain is scheduled to graduate from NYITCOM next spring, and he’s currently in the process of interviewing for residency. He’s focused on psychiatry, and the book has come up in his interviews.

“It’s been a good conversation piece, and my interviewers have mentioned their intentions to read it, which is really great,” he says.

Syed Hasnain self-published Let’s Talk About Feeling Sad, a 22-page book about depression designed for parents to read with their children.