Are you worried about your child’s mental wellbeing? Children’s Mental Health Week Child Psychotherapist Dr Alison McClymont shares the signs you should be looking out for.

In 2020, one in six children aged 5-16 were diagnosed with a mental disorder. This is an increase from the 2016 figure of one in nine.

It is normal for children to have a difficult time with their developing bodies and brains, and sometimes to display behaviours that are not desirable.

Children are constantly learning how to deal with hormones and brain development.

In 2020, one in six children aged between five and 16 years old was identified as having a mental disorder.

Abuse, neglect, or maltreatment at home are common examples of triggers for mental illness. Other triggers include bullying, divorce or bereavement.

The pandemic is causing a lot of anxiety, stress and fear in the public. In some cases this can be seen as a fear of germs and death. For some children it has become full-blown OCD.

It is worth considering that your child may need help if they are displaying maladaptive reactions to an event, such as extreme emotional outbursts or obsessive behaviors.

What are the key warning signs that parents and educators should be on the lookout for?

Changes in behavior that are noticeable and marked are key signs of mental health.

This is when a child’s behavior changes in a way that is inappropriate for their age or is unusual.

A sudden change in behavior could include physical or verbal aggression or an increase in tears without apparent cause.

This could be caused by a child’s anxiety or fearful thoughts.

Night terrors and feeling afraid to sleep could also be signs of anxiety.

You should also be on the lookout for any changes in their eating or sleeping habits, as well as a sudden onset of toilet problems, a withdrawal from activities they used to enjoy, or a sudden onset of irritability, emotional outbursts or simply saying “I don’t feeling good”.

Night terrors, or the fear of going to sleep at night, can indicate underlying anxiety. So can changes in eating habits – like refusing to eat food or bingeing.

The change in toilet behavior could be the ‘deliberate soiling’ of underwear or refusing to use a toilet.

These should be adapted to the age of your child. It is common for children aged four to five to have a slight regression in their previously good habits. However, it would not be the case for a child aged eight to nine.

What was normal before for your child? What has changed?

What can parents and teachers do to help their children?

It can be useful to give children examples of emotions that they may feel or help them distinguish between emotions like anger and sadness.

It is important to encourage children to express both positive and negative feelings and to remind them that BOTH are normal. It’s OK for them to express their emotions, whether they are angry, sad or ashamed.

Some children lack the vocabulary to express their emotions

Normalising emotions can open the door to a conversation. We should not reject emotions like anger or sadness as ‘bad.’ These are normal reactions, but we need to find ways to express these without being destructive.

It is useful to tell children that anger is okay, but not aggression, or that sadness can help us feel empathy for others.

What questions should we ask children when we suspect that they are struggling?

You can use questions that are curious, rather than ones that are demanding. For example, instead of saying, “Tell me what is going on”, you could say, “I’ve noticed that you do XYZ a little more or less.”

You can open a conversation by using your own feelings or thoughts.

• How about you?
• “Sometimes, I felt like XYZ but I did XYZ”
• What do you think when I say, “I feel like XYZ”?

When should you seek professional assistance?

Consult a professional if your child’s behaviour has changed dramatically, especially if it is dangerous for them or others.

These are the types of behaviours that would always be deemed professional:

• Sexualised behavior is not just self-exploration.
• Violence against other children intended to cause serious injury.
• Self-harm such as skin slashing or rubbing is not acceptable.
• Suicidal thoughts

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