Bad moods and emotional outbursts… the 9 signs your child could have a mental health disorder
Thousands of kids as young as two are now said to be living with mental disorders, the NHS warns
MENTAL health disorders don't just affect adults, kids and teenagers can suffer from them, too.
In fact, kids as young as two are now said to be at risk, with one in eight kids suffering mental illness, according to the NHS.
The latest official statistics suggest one in eight kids aged between five and 19 are living with a mental health issue, while around 113,000 toddlers in England have problems before they even start school.
They're not always easy to spot, either. With all children suffering a mental illness experiencing different symptoms.
Here are the 9 signs that your child could have a mental health disorder.
1. Bad mood that won't go away
A child suffering mental health problems will begin to feel persistently down.
Emily Cherry, head of policy at Barnados UK, told The Sun Online that they might be becoming really withdrawn from friends and family and isolating themselves.
“So if you have events coming up like birthdays they might start to become really fearful and don’t want to engage," she said.
“They will be persistently low and unhappy – nothing will lift their mood.”
2. Tearful or emotional outbursts
5. Eating less or binge eating
Any sudden change in your child's eating habits might signal a mental health problem.
Some might even have physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches, the NHS said.
6. Trouble sleeping
Another really important sign to look for is if your child is having problems sleeping.
“Children who are persistently low, who are suffering from depression or anxiety, will find sleeping really difficult,” said Cherry.
It might also be that they don't want to get out of bed, or sleep in for hours longer than usual.
7. Lack of concentration
If teachers at your child's school have noticed that they are finding it hard to concentrate in class, this could be a red flag, also.
Not being able to make their mind up, or seeming like they don't care about certain outcomes are signs that should not be taken lightly, either.
WHY IS MY CHILD SUFFERING A MENTAL ILLNESS?
Things that increase the risk of a mental illness such as anxiety or depression in children include:
- family difficulties
- bullying
- physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- a family history of depression or other mental health problems
- Sometimes it is triggered by one difficult event, such as parents separating, a bereavement or problems with school or other children.
- Often it's caused by a mixture of things. For example, your child may have inherited a tendency to depression and also have experienced some difficult life events.
8. Low self-esteem
If your kid talks about feeling guilty or worthless, it might be a sign that they've lost their confidence, which could be linked to a mental illness.
The NHS describes it this as feeling "empty or unable to feel emotions" or "numb".
9. Having suicidal thoughts
Perhaps more of a direct clue, but if things get really bad, you might notice your child begins self-harming or cutting their skin.
“If a child is getting to crisis point, where they are feeling so low and angry, they may turn to self-harm and even have suicidal thoughts," explained Cherry.
You might not see the evidence of such action right away, but you might notice your child is covering up more or trying to hide their skin, which might be a sign of self-harming.
How to spot the signs of mental health problems in your child
While there are some key warning signs to look out for, they can vary from child to child.
However, Cherry said parents know their children and should be able to spot them easily.
“Parents are the experts in their own children,” she said.
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
CREATING a safe and welcoming environment is an important part of addressing your child's mental health problems.
- set aside uninterrupted time with your child
- create a safe place for them to talk
- let them know that you are always there for them
- let them know that they can talk about anything they are feeling
- if they don't want to talk straight away don't push them
- use gentle language like "I've noticed you have been sad lately, I am always here if you want to talk"
- do not make it an inquisition by asking lots of questions like "why are you sad?" and "what is going on?"
- encourage them to speak to a friend or teacher if they don't feel comfortable talking to you
“Feeling down or anxious is often really normal for children and it can be quite worrying for parents to see that.
“But there is often a real tipping point for parents when that anxiety, that feeling low and feeling sad starts to take over your child’s life and that’s when you need to be seeking help.”
Every 90 minutes, someone kills themselves in the UK - with suicide being the biggest killer of people under the age of 35.
Both of those are really alarming statistics, which is why The Sun has launched the You're Not Alone campaign, in a bid to get more people talking about mental health.
Some studies show that almost one in four young people will experience depression before they are 19 years old.
Alana Ryan, Senior Policy Officer at the NSPCC, said: “When a generation of children is struggling with their mental health with many having self-harmed or attempted suicide, we are fundamentally failing our young people.
“Our own research shows even if children are referred for specialist mental health treatment there is a slim chance they will receive it, which is totally unacceptable."
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