Telltale Signs of Mental Health Problems in Children
Parents are often quick to think that their children do not have a single care in the world. No overly demanding bosses or annoying coworkers. No monthly bills or overpacked schedules of seemingly never-ending responsibilities that come with being an adult and make us wish we could just trade lives with our dog for a day. Or longer. However, the reality is that children are just as vulnerable to stress and can develop the same mental health conditions as adults. The thing is – they experience stress a bit differently. This makes it harder for parents to identify and differentiate normal childhood stress from mental health problems in children. Here are some telltale signs to help families take care of each other.
Stress is a fact of life for kids as well as adults
Although we may not be as accustomed to the idea, children definitely face their own stresses. This can include:
- pressure from school, peers, friends, and the world at large
- changing hormones,
- fears and questions about life in general,
- various types of social unrest they may be surrounded with,
- etc.
But not every child deals with day-to-day stress alone. If there is neglect, family poverty, or domestic violence involved, this could lead to serious issues. It could hinder optimal early brain development and lead to chronic stress, which has been linked to emotional and behavioral problems in childhood, as well as physical and mental disorders later in life.
Normal childhood stresses or mental illness?
Children are surprisingly resilient and flexible. However, there’s no lack of cases where the bad times keep going and the negative feelings of anxiety, depression, and helplessness linger on, even beyond the situations that cause them. To make things worse, unlike adults, the little ones face it all without any experience, context, or wisdom that comes with age. They’re still learning how to identify and communicate their thoughts and emotions. So, how do you know whether their sadness is just the normal part of growing up or something more? Mental health problems in children can be challenging for caretakers to identify, and many children who’d benefit from professional treatment do not get the help they need.
What are some telltale signs of mental health issues in children?
Early intervention is crucial. For this reason, all parents must educate themselves and be aware of the warning signs of mental illness in young children:
- Drastic mood swings, changes in behavior or personality
- Outbursts or extreme irritability
- Out-of-control and harmful behavior
- Persistent sadness that lasts two weeks or more
- Overwhelming fear for no reason
- Feeling indifferent, like nothing matters
- Avoiding or missing school
- Changes in academic performance
- Withdrawing from or avoiding people and usual activities
- Little or no energy
- Difficulty sleeping
- Frequent nightmares
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in eating habits
- Loss of weight
- Frequent headaches or stomach aches with no explanation
- Talking about death or suicide
- Hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself
- Substance abuse
In general, you should consider seeking professional help if any concerning behaviors persist for a few weeks or longer; cause distress to the child and other family members; or disrupts their functioning at home, at school, or with friends. If you notice that your child’s behavior is unsafe, seek help immediately. For instance, they might consistently talk about hurting themselves or somebody else.
First steps for parents
If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, your first step is to talk to anyone who frequently interacts with your child. This may include teachers, close friends, relatives, and other caregivers. For instance, you can ask their teacher about their behavior at school, daycare, or on the playground. Maybe they, too, have noticed changes in your child’s behavior.
You can contact your child’s pediatrician or healthcare provider. Make sure to be as specific as you can when describing the behaviors that concern you. Also, share information about what you have observed and learned from talking with others. The healthcare provider can give you a referral to a mental health professional with experience and expertise in treating children. From there, based on signs and symptoms, as well as how the condition affects your child’s day-to-day life, the specialist will make a diagnosis.
Diagnosing mental health problems in children may take some time. This is because young children still do not quite understand or know how to express their feelings, not to mention that normal development varies from one child to the next. Your healthcare provider will likely change and refine the diagnosis over time.
Mental health and disabilities
Some of the most common mental health disorders seen in children, according to experts, include the following:
- Anxiety disorders: persistent fears and worries that interfere with their typical activities and age-appropriate social situations.
- Depression: persistent feelings of hopelessness and sadness and loss of interest that interfere with the child’s academic performance and social interactions.
- Eating disorders: a fixation on an ideal body type, preoccupation with weight and weight loss, and unhealthy eating and dieting habits.
- Panic attacks: intense feelings of fear or terror, difficulty breathing, change of heartbeat, chest pain or tightness, dizziness, and shaking that begin with a stressful event.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): unwanted obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals to control fears.
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): trouble paying attention and controlling impulsive behaviors
- Separation anxiety disorder (SAD): feelings of extreme worry when apart from places and people that the child is attached to.
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD): persistent angry outbursts, arguments, and disobedience, typically directed at authority figures.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): constant, scary thoughts and memories of a past traumatic event.
- Pediatric bipolar disorder: mood swings from the highs of hyperactivity or euphoria (mania) to the lows of serious depression.
- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD): difficulty communicating and interacting with other people.
Assessing your child’s behavior and recommending treatment
A comprehensive professional evaluation will help clarify the underlying issues and provide reassurance, as well as recommendations for the parents’ next steps. Normally, it includes an interview with the caregivers regarding the child’s developmental history, medical history, relationships with family members and peers, temperament, interests, abilities, etc. A mental health professional would require additional information from the child’s school, which includes reports on behavior, strengths, and weaknesses. And finally, if needed, they might also require to talk to the child and do the necessary testing and behavioral observations.
Upon reviewing the results of the evaluation, the mental health professional will determine if the signs and symptoms are related to changes or stresses in the child’s everyday life or if it is the result of a mental health disorder. If intervention is necessary, the professional will recommend treatment options, ranging from psychotherapy (“talk therapy”) to medications or family counseling.
The bottom line
Ask anyone to give you an example of someone affected by stress. They’d probably picture an employee scrambling to meet a deadline or a college student pulling an all-nighter. Few are likely to imagine a child covering his ears not to listen to his parents’ argument in the next room. And an even smaller number of people is likely to imagine an infant being neglected by his mother who’s suffering from severe depression. The cases are plenty; we’re just not used to the fact that children are affected by stress and mental health conditions, just like adults are. But they are. Only mental health problems in children are much harder to identify – and that’s why parents need to be aware of the telltale signs.