[ad]Children and Mental Health: What to Know?

Mental health is an issue for many people in the United States, and what we might not always realise as parents is that children can have mental health disorders as well as adults. 

For children, there may be situational events that trigger symptoms of a mental health disorder, or it may be ongoing. 

Regardless of the specific situation, when children suffer from mental health disorders, it impacts the way they learn, behaves and deals with their emotions. A child experiencing mental health issues will also likely have distress in their daily life and may face issues at school and home. 

As a parent, the following are some of the important general things to know regarding children and mental health. 

Overview of Mental Illness in Children

Around one-fourth of children experience mental disorders during any given year. The most common childhood mental disorders are:

• Anxiety disorders: When a child has an anxiety disorder that can include OCD, PTSD, social phobia, or generalised anxiety disorder, it’s a persistent problem that interferes with their activities in daily life. It’s normal to have some level of worry in daily life, but if it’s impacting functionality, it may be a diagnosable anxiety disorder. 
• Depression: Depression is a mood disorder, as is bipolar disorder. Mood disorders like depression tend to make children feel ongoing sadness or in the case of bipolar particularly, they may have severe mood swings. 
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Symptoms of ADHD include problems paying attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. A child with ADHD may just have one symptom or all of the symptoms. 

In order to diagnose mental illness in children, there needs to be certain assessments including developmental and mental health assessments as well as in-depth medical assessments. 

When a child has untreated mental health disorders, it can lead to:

• Lower educational achievement
• More involvement with the criminal justice system
• Increased risk of substance abuse later on

When a child has a mental health disorder, they should receive treatment that’s appropriate for their developmental level. 

Is It Hard for Parents to Identify Mental Health Issues in their Children?

When you’re a parent, it may prove challenging for you to be able to determine if there are any mental health concerns in your children. Many adults don’t know how mental illness in children might manifest itself.

There are also fears about the stigma of mental illnesses that can lead parents to avoid seeking treatment for their child. 

The signs of mental illness in children and adolescents can include:

• Changes in mood such as withdrawal or sadness, or mood swings that create problems at home or school
• Very intense feelings such as extreme fear that is apparently occurring for no reason
• Behavioural changes such as out-of-control behaviour or indicating the desire to hurt others
• Problems with concentration and poor school performance
• Unexplained weight loss
• Physical harm
• Substance abuse

Treatments for Mental Illness in Children 

The earlier you can recognise a potential problem in your child and proactively work on getting treatment, the better the outcomes are likely to be. 

When a child has a mental health condition, psychotherapy tends to be one of the best treatment approaches. Psychotherapy is also called behavioural therapy or talk therapy.

Your child would work with a counselor or psychologist and learn more about how to deal with their feelings, thoughts, behaviours, and mood. 

Behavioural therapy is good to help children develop healthy coping mechanisms from an early age. 

Depending on the situation, it might be recommended that your child take medications such as stimulants or anti-anxiety medicines. 

How Parents Can Help

If your child is diagnosed with a mental health condition, your child will benefit from your love and support. It can be challenging as a parent, particularly when you’re experiencing frustration as the result of your child’s symptoms, but speak to your child’s mental health provider about what you can do and how you can best interact with your child. 

Sometimes, participating in family counselling or a support group may be beneficial.

You should also make sure your child’s teacher and their school counsellor are aware of their mental health condition. The school staff can likely work with you as you create a learning plan that meets the needs of your child.

You aren’t alone if you’re dealing with a child who has a mental health condition, and it’s important that you find support services for your child as well as yourself. 

Dealing with the problem head-on and proactively is the best option for a child with a mental health disorder. 

This is a collaborative post.