This study explored whether changes in children’s mental health symptoms predict changes in their access to unlocked guns at home. Using data from 1,420 families in the southeastern U.S., researchers found that 66% of children had access to unlocked guns at some point between ages 9 and 16. In homes where children already had gun access, increases in oppositional defiant or depressive symptoms were linked to reduced access later on, suggesting parents may limit access when mental health issues arise. No such link was found in homes where children had no initial gun access. Findings suggest parents in gun-owning households may take steps to improve safety in response to their child’s mental health.