You can’t watch the news these days without hearing about children and the turmoil they are going through. Now, more than ever, there is attention paid to what they are going through and how it can affect them. Not only now, but in the long run. It can be hard to distinguish whether your child is just being a kid or going through something bigger. Here is some important information about mental illness in children.

Possible Mental Illness in Children

Anxiety Disorders- Children can have anxiety disorders (such as obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder) that interfere with their daily motions. It can be perceived as a regular part of growing, for a child, but when it interferes with daily activities, it is something that should be looked into.

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder generally includes difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. They may have all of the symptoms or just one, and it is relative to the kid.

ASD

Autism spectrum disorder can impair development and appears before the age of three. Severity and symptoms can vary, but communication is a key factor. Interacting with others can be very problematic and cause stress and frustration.

Eating disorders

Anorexia nervosa, binge-eating and bulimia nervosa can all be genuine problems for children. They can feel pressure from other kids to fit in and see images of people they wish they looked like. These disorders can be life threatening. When children become so focused on food and weight that nothing else can catch their attention, you need to have them speak with a professional.

Mood disorders

Depression and bipolar disorder can exhibit mood swings or an overwhelming feeling of sadness. Sometimes it may seem like kids being kids, but it is something much more severe. It can also have a very lasting effect on their lives. You will want to monitor the change in their moods. If it is very extreme or just consistent sadness, there may be something larger going on than growing pains.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia tends to begin in the late teens to twenties. It is a psychosis and can cause your teenager to lose touch with reality. This mental illness is chronic and needs attention.

What Does Mental Illness In Children Look Like?

It can be hard to know what to look for when you are worried about your child. You don’t want to pester them for being normal, but you don’t want to let visible signs pass.

• Mood changes
• Intense feelings
• Behavior changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Unexplained weight loss
• Physical symptoms
• Physical harm
• Substance abuse

You will know when these things are just an average growth or something that needs attention. Try communicating with your kid and finding out what is going on in their life. When you talk to them about the problems, you will get a better feeling of the severity of the situation.

What Should You Do About Mental Illness in Children

If you think your child has a mental illness, you want to get them help. Counseling is the first step. Offering them an objective third party to talk to will give them someone to confide in if it is just a tumultuous time. And if not, the counselor can assess them and recommend further steps. It could be something that can be sorted out with counseling. These things become easier to deal with if you catch them early and start working away at the problem, as soon as possible. Helping them cope and learn to live with their illness is important. Learning this while young can make all the difference. That makes it easier in the long run if it becomes a part of their routine. Eventually, it will even be second nature to them.

What Are The Next Steps?

You can contact a counselor here. You will want to set an appointment for them to talk to your child. While you are waiting, you can speak to them about what is going on in their life. Find out why they feel the way they do and let them know that you want to help. That you aren’t going to judge or punish them, you just want to make life easier for them. You can read more about these problems and what to look for here.

You can ask your counselor any other questions you may have about them. Don’t be afraid to ask about ways you can help between appointments or be supportive. There may be exercises, or ways of communicating that will help reinforce methods being used by the counselor. Or they may know phrases to assist you in better communication with your child. Just remember that mental illness in children is something that can be helped with communication. By talking to a counselor and getting your child help, you are taking the first steps. And maybe the most important one.