Mental Health Challenges Frequently Seen in Children

Mental health challenges in children are quite common. According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health), one out of every six children in the U.S. ages 6-17 will at some point experience a mental health disorder. In general, mental health challenges in children are defined as delays or interruptions in the development of age-appropriate thinking, social skills, or the ability to regulate emotions, which in turn harms the child’s ability to function appropriately at home, in school, or in other social situations such as play.

Warning Signs Of Possible Mental Health Challenges In Children

Difficulty with routine daily interactions Your child seems to be having trouble participating in social activities with family and friends, and is not doing as well as usual at school.

Personality changes Your typically social child begins to withdraw and lose interest in others, or starts behaving in ways he or she has outgrown, such as wetting their bed or sucking their thumb.

Excessive anxiety Your child experiences anxiety about almost everything, to the point where he or she has trouble functioning. He or she may also experience physical symptoms such as palpitations, hyperventilation, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Depression Your child seems sad or irritable most of the time, cries a lot, and has little or no interest in playing or participating in other activities he or she used to enjoy before.

Common Mental Disorders In Children

Anxiety Disorders The term “anxiety disorders” is a general term that covers a variety of mental health problems that may cause a child to experience long-lasting worries or fears that interfere with his or her ability to participate in normal day-to-day functions such as school and play activities.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Children with GAD tend to worry about everyday things such as family issues, friendships, how they look, or how well they do in school. They are often critical of themselves and their performance, require constant approval and reassurance, and their fear of doing something wrong or being embarrassed may cause them to isolate.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Children with OCD are obsessed with perfection and need to perform little rituals to control their thoughts and feelings. They may, for instance, compulsively check and recheck their book bag, or touch the same thing over and over again, or keep rearranging objects.

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) PTSD is a response to a terrifying traumatic experience, such as domestic violence, abuse, neglect, injury, loss of a parent or caregiver, or witnessing a life-threatening event. Children suffering from PTSD may experience long-lasting symptoms such as emotional distress, fear, anxiety, nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks, being easily startled, having trouble concentrating, and/or being on guard all the time.

Separation Anxiety Disorder Children suffering from separation anxiety disorder experience excessive anxiety when they are away from their parents and may refuse to go to camp or sleepovers. They may also have an overwhelming concern that everyday things will turn out badly. For instance, they may try to avoid going to school because they’re afraid something bad will happen there, or that something bad might happen to their parent or caregiver while they’re at school.

Social Anxiety Disorder Children with social anxiety disorder have an intense fear of social situations and of doing things in front of others, such as being called on in class or having to start a conversation.

ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) Children suffering from ADHD have trouble paying attention, sitting still, staying focused, and may exhibit impulsive or hyperactive behavior.

Depression Children suffering from depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. They may also feel lethargic, have trouble making decisions, and have a hard time concentrating or completing tasks such as homework.

Autism Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that causes a child to have difficulty communicating and interacting with others.

Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder manifests as extreme mood swings between deep depression and extreme, sometimes risky, emotional highs.

Conduct disorder Children with conduct disorder usually have low self-esteem, which they mask by bravado, and may exhibit disruptive behavior such as bullying other children, picking fights, lying, stealing, and/or damaging property.

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) Children suffering from ODD may experience sudden anger for no apparent reason, blame others for their behavior, and go out of their way to deliberately bother or annoy other people. They don’t like being told what to do, and will argue or refuse to comply with classroom rules or household tasks.

Schizophrenia Children afflicted with schizophrenia tend to experience strange thoughts and feelings that give rise to unusual, quirky behavior. They may, for instance, see or hear things that don’t exist, and feel fearful, confused, or suspicious that someone is out to get them.

When To Get Help

It is normal for children to have ups and downs, and to experience occasional low moods because of a specific, temporary situation, such as not being invited to a birthday party, but usually they bounce back.

If, however, the changes in your child’s mood or behavior last for more than a couple of weeks and are affecting their ability to function at home or school, you want to get help as soon as possible before he or she fall behind in social and academic development and/or their behavior becomes shaped in harmful ways.

A good first step is to make an appointment with your child’s healthcare provider to rule out any possible health problems that might be causing your child’s symptoms or making them worse, followed by an appointment with a trained mental health professional who can offer support and guidance as to what type of therapy might work best.

Therapy Options For Mental Disorders In Children

There are a variety of therapy options for mental disorders in children, including one-on-one therapy and group therapy. Therapy for young children usually includes their parents as well. Sometimes the therapist may work with just the parent, or sometimes the whole family, and/or the child’s teacher may be included as well.

The three most common therapy options for mental disorders in children are:

Psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) may use play time or games to help young children learn how to express their thoughts and feelings, as well as how to respond to them in healthy ways by learning new behaviors and coping skills.

Behavior therapy Behavior therapy focuses on teaching children and their families how to strengthen their child’s positive behaviors and eliminate or reduce the unwanted ones. If the child is young, the therapist may also work one-on-one with the parent to teach them how to manage their child’s behavior, and then have them practice the skills they learn during a therapy session before practicing them at home.

Cognitive behavior therapy Cognitive behavior therapy focuses on changing the thoughts and/or emotions that are having a negative impact on the child’s behavior. The therapist will help the child become aware of his or her thoughts and feelings, assess whether they may be distorted or illogical, and then help him or her substitute healthy, positive ones in their place.

Christian Counseling For Mental Disorders In Children

Christian counseling involves a combination of biblical principles and clinical intervention. If you are concerned about your child’s emotional and mental health, please contact me or one of the other faith-based counselors in our online counselor directory today. We would be happy to answer any questions you have or set up an appointment to meet with you and your child.