We need narrative approaches to children’s mental health in conflict

Nakimuli-Mpungu and colleagues clearly outline the scale of child mental health need in conflict affected settings and the importance of integrating caregiver support in sustainable systems.1 We agree that children’s mental distress reflects the erosion of daily life, that short term interventions are insufficient, and that progress requires coordinated political and financial commitment. But a focus on scalability and implementation risks overlooking the lived experience of children in war, particularly their relationship to land, home, and community.