Detecting the ‘baby blues’ in dads [Video]

BEREA, Ohio — Being a parent can take a toll on the mental health of not only moms before and after birth, but often not talked about is the impact of parenthood on dads.

International research shows about 10% of fathers experience depression before their baby is born.

That rate, according to the National Institutes of Health, increases significantly in the three-to-six months following birth, with more than 25% of dads experiencing symptoms.

As a father of two young children, I wanted to learn more about a new screening tool created right here in Northeast Ohio to better detect paternal depression, which some now consider a “silent pandemic.”

Before becoming a dad for the first time, Josh Skerl experienced a wide range of emotions.

“Yeah, definitely there were heightened feelings of anxiety, depression. Are you going to be able to provide as your child needs,” said Skerl.

It’s a mental state many fathers find themselves in.

“Definitely, both during …