Children can develop the same mental conditions that many adults suffer from, but their symptoms may be different. These mental disorders in children can sometimes be difficult for parents to identify thereby making it difficult for the child to have medical care before things blow out of proportion. Mental health disorders in children are generally defined as delays in developing age-appropriate thinking behaviors, social skills, or regulation of emotions. Some of the common disorders that children suffer from are;
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Compared with most children of the same age, children with ADHD have difficulty with attention, impulsive behaviors, hyperactivity, or some combination of these problems.
Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety disorders in children are persistent fears, worries or anxiety that affect their ability to participate in play, school, or typical age-appropriate social situations.
Eating Disorders: Eating disorders are defined as a preoccupation with an ideal body type, disordered thinking about weight and weight loss, and unsafe eating and dieting habits. Eating disorders — can result in emotional and social dysfunction and life-threatening physical complications.
Depression/ Mood Disorder: Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that disrupts a child's ability to function in school and interact with others. Bipolar disorder results in extreme mood swings between depression and extreme emotional or behavioral highs that may be unguarded, risky, or unsafe.
PTSD (Post Trauma Stress Disorder): PTSD is prolonged emotional distress, anxiety, distressing memories, nightmares, and disruptive behaviors in response to violence, abuse, injury, or other traumatic events.
Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a disorder in perceptions and thoughts that cause a person to lose touch with reality (psychosis). Most often appearing in the late teens through the 20s, schizophrenia results in hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behaviors.
There are signs and sometimes, most parents fail to see them. It is important to take note of these signs in parenting a child;
Persistent stress
Avoiding Social interaction
Outbursts of extreme irritability
Loss of weight
Difficulty concentrating
Changes in eating habits
Difficulty sleeping
Parents should do well to call on the Family doctor after noticing these signs who will recommend psychotherapy or medications for the child. On the part of the parents, they should learn about the illness, always praise the efforts of their children, work with child support, and explore stress management techniques.