Every year July is commemorated as Psychosocial Disability Awareness Month. This month aims to focus on mental health conditions and how they impact people’s day-to-day lives. While mental health conditions in children are often not a topic that people like to discuss, the reality is that many South African children struggle with conditions like anxiety and depression.
As a parent or caregiver, knowing what signs and symptoms to look out for can empower you to give your child the correct support and treatment as soon as possible. Not addressing mental health problems can often lead to them worsening over time and can lead to the child developing problems with relationships, as well as issues at home and school.
It is important to understand that a child experiencing anxiety or depression is not necessarily a sign that the child will have a lifelong mental illness. Rather, these mental health struggles could be linked to specific stress or difficulties that the child is experiencing. With the correct support, the child may make a full recovery and come out to the other end of these struggles more resilient.
Some potential signs to look out for that may indicate that a child is struggling with their mental health include:
- Regression – when a child goes back to behaviour that they have outgrown. For example, a child starts sucking their thumb again, or they become scared of the dark or start wetting their bed, even though these behaviours are no longer age appropriate.
- Clinging to caregivers – the child has difficulty separating from their parents, even in situations that are safe and familiar to them.
- Changes in levels of activity – a once active child suddenly becomes lethargic and has no energy. Or a child who was always calm is suddenly hyperactive and has difficulty calming down.
- Becoming moody and withdrawn.
- Eating less or more than is usual.
- Sleeping less or more than is usual.
- Angry or aggressive outbursts.
- Often being sad and teary.
- Complaining about physical ailments, such as headaches or stomach aches, even though they are not sick.
- Having trouble concentrating at school or with homework.
While not an extensive list, these signs could give you some idea that your child is struggling emotionally. When looking at mental health problems in children it is necessary to consider each symptom for its severity, chronicity, and the impact it has on the child’s ability to function. The child’s personal history and development will also need to be taken into account.
It is also necessary to distinguish between normal behaviour for the child’s developmental stage (for example a teenager being moody or wanting to spend more time alone) versus a symptom of mental health problems.
To understand the difference, you will need to look at whether the behaviours you notice are more severe or longer lasting than is typical for children the same age, or if they interfere with the child’s ability to succeed at home and school.
At the end of the day, you know your child. You know what they are usually like, and any changes in behaviour that last for longer than a few weeks or that cause problems at home or school should be seen as something worthy of attention. Every child deserves to be mentally healthy, and with the right love and support from their caregivers, they can be.