4 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Child Mental Health

Mental health disorders in children are prevalent due to many factors and can take a toll on their behaviour, learning abilities and handling emotions. Here's what you can do about it.

Children often have emotional ups and downs that affect the way they feel and behave. But sometimes they don’t ‘bounce back’ from the downs, and this starts to affect other parts of their lives. It can be a sign of mental health disorders in children.

Symptoms and warning signs in children with mental disorders

It is crucial to recognize the symptoms and warning signs in children suffering from mental health problems so as to give them the right treatment and counselling. Some of the symptoms are:

1. Out-of-control behaviour that can be harmful
2. Drastic changes in mood, behaviour
3. Changes in eating habits
4. Loss of weight
5. Difficulty sleeping
6. Frequent headaches or stomach aches
7. Difficulty concentrating
8. Changes in academic performance
9. Avoiding or missing school
10. Have lost interest in things that they used to enjoy

What you can do:

# Parents

As a parent, you know your child best. It’s always good for parents to talk regularly with their child about how they are feeling. It helps to develop a warm and open relationship with your child. Children will feel confident sharing their emotions and will trust that you’ll listen, try to understand them and help them to work things out. Sometimes though, parents will still need to ask/talk to their ward directly if everything is alright or if something has happened.

# Youth

It is just as important to take care of your mental health as it is to take care of your physical health. If you are angry, worried or sad, don’t be afraid to talk/share about your feelings and reach out to a trusted friend.

# Healthcare professionals

Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment based on updated guidelines are very important. There are resources available to help diagnose and treat children’s mental wellness.

# Teachers/school administrators

Early identification is important so that children can get the help they need. Work with families and healthcare professionals if you have concerns about the mental state of a child in your school.