Recognizing children’s potential mental health issues
Rita Watson
Mothers and fathers with challenging children are oftentimes exasperated saints. It can be difficult to determine if a child is “going through a phase” or is in need of help because of a psychiatric problem, such as depression or an anxiety disorder.
As with adults, children can experience almost any psychiatric problem, but how they exhibit symptoms may differ slightly. Also, some problems occur at specific ages or developmental stages. Although May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it should be uppermost always in the minds of parents and teachers.
Some of the disorders that can begin in childhood or adolescence include: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders including separation anxiety and social phobias – to name a few.
We know from imaging studies that brain activity may be altered in certain disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders. But what about symptoms that parents or teachers might recognize?
Dr. Daniel Dickstein, director of Bradley Hospital’s Pediatric Mood, Imaging and Neurodevelopment Program ( pedimind.lifespan.org ), pointed out that like adults, children can have a wide range of mental health problems that may require help.
“It is hard to sum up the warning signs for all psychiatric problems that can be experienced by children or teens. Parents need to be tuned in to changes in their child’s behavior. These might include becoming reluctant to go to school, acting very clingy, having a difficult time making friends or refusing to go to school. Such behavior may suggest the child has an anxiety disorder. But there are many other variables that can be involved,” he said.
Noting that symptoms vary between school-age and preteen-years, Dickstein added, “If you have a tearful, crying child who is sad, bored, disinterested in sports or other activities once enjoyed who makes frequent visits to the school nurse, these might be signs of depression.”
Teen years are particularly challenging for young people given the hormonal push. Dickstein advises parents to stay involved in teens’ lives. “Don’t just be satisfied with teens’ one-word answers to questions,” he said, “parents need to take seriously mood or behavior changes that suggest depression in teens who suddenly isolate themselves in their rooms, are angrier than usual, or who talk about hating life as there may be a risk for suicide.”
Bipolar disorder may manifest in children or teens as multiple days of being abnormally angry or inappropriately too happy, accompanied by getting into trouble, risk taking, and not sleeping.
Dickstein, who’s also an associate professor in the departments of psychiatry and human behavior, and pediatrics at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School, suggests that parents with concerns visit the website of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry ( AACAP.org .)
Copyright 2012 Rita Watson/ All Rights Reserved
Rita Watson, MPH, ( ritawatson.com ) is a regular contributor to The Providence Journal and a relationship columnist for the All About You section.
Please see Recognizing children’s potential mental health issues on Page C5 of Monday, May 28, 2012 issue of Providence Journal