Mental health of our children, how to monitor them and what to look out for
Your child’s health is both physical and mental.
Physical health includes:
- how well a child grows
- how strong they are
- how well they can recover from an infection.
Mental health includes:
- how well they think
- how well they manage their emotions
- how they behave
A mental health disorder in childhood includes:
- delays or disorders in thinking
- disorders in behavior
- difficulties in social skills
- difficulties in regulating emotions
These delays or disorders cause children concern or interfere with how well they function at home, school, or in social situations.
Just like your child’s physical health, your child’s mental health changes over time and can get better or worse.
We can help our children develop habits that help them be mentally healthy, in the same way that we teach them habits like brushing their teeth, eating nutritious foods, and getting regular exercise to help them be physically healthy.
Mental health problems are common in children and teens.
It’s best to identify a problem early so you can treat it properly and support your child, just as you would for a broken bone.
The tricky thing is that children and teens are constantly growing and changing.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between mood and behavior changes that usually occur as children grow and those that are a sign of anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems.
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