7 Kids & teens’ pre-mental ill-health behavioural symptoms

Children’s Mental Health Education

Healthy Lifestyles and Wellness Living

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7 pre-mental ill-health behavioural symptoms in different categories of children – infants, toddlers, kids and teens

Infants, kids and teenagers are vulnerable to developing severe mental health conditions.

Apart from pre-existing mental health problems, such as, past traumatic experiences or abuse, family instability, or loss of a beloved one kids and teenagers experience, they are at greater risk of developing intense reactions, including severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies, partly due to the environment changes and negative effects and impacts of COVID-19 pandemic (now heightened by the Delta variant strain) they are highly vulnerable to developing severe mental health conditions.

Furthermore, despite the natural resilience to sleeplessness and lack of concentration as mild signs and ‘symptoms’ of anxieties and worries children have, they still likely end up developing severe mental health conditions and showing ill-health behavioural symptoms.

Close Parental observation key to the notice of behavioural changes in their children and teens

 As the child grows, his behavioural symptoms change over time. Yes, it changes over time, but what for the moment when he needs immediate parental support or clinical help by a health professional. So, parents need to have a close observation of the children in order to notice any mental ill-health behavioural symptoms in them and take the necessary drastic supportive and remedial actions.

7 pre-mental health Illness behavioural symptoms in infants, toddlers and pre-school children between 0 to 5 years

All things being equal, parents should seek to solve their mental health problems if they observe the following abnormal tendencies in their toddlers and preschoolers between 0 to 5 years

1. Thumb sucking,

2. Bedwetting,

3. Clinging to parents,

4. Sleep disturbances,

5. Loss of appetite,

6. Fear of the dark,

7. Regression in behaviour or withdrawal from interaction.

7 pre-mental health Illness behavioural symptoms in school-aged kids between 5 to 10 years

Children between 5 to 10 years old can experience the following mental ill-health behavioural symptoms:

1. irritability,

2. Aggressiveness,

3. Clinginess,

4. Nightmares,

5. School avoidance,

6. Poor concentration, and

7. Withdrawal from activities and friends.

7 pre-mental ill-health behavioural symptoms in pre-teenagers and adolescent children aged 10 to 19 years

In pre-teen and adolescent children between the ages of 10 to 19 years, the following mental ill-health symptoms can be experienced behaviourally:

1. Hyperactivity or fidgeting,

2. sleeping, and eating disturbances,

3. Agitation,

4. Increased conflicts,

5. Physical complaints,

6. Delinquent behaviour, and

7. Poor concentration.

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7 COVID-19 mental health impacts on school children

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‘3 effects of increased recreational screen time on kids

How parents can help their children with mental health problems

How can parents help their kids overcome mental health problems in the framework of ‘Children’s Mental Health Education for Healthy Lifestyles and Wellness Living’ . Parents can help their kids achieve that development milestone in the following ways:

1. Parents and caregivers their know their child the best just as teachers are expected to know and understand their students

2. Parents must create an environment of positivity at home to try to make children feel happy and relaxed.

3. Behavioural symptoms change over time as the child grows:Once a sudden significant difference in their child’s behaviour is noticed for more than a week, parents must provide necessary parental support and must seek professional clinical help.

This blog content on ‘Healthy Lifestyles and Wellness Living: ‘7 pre-mental ill-health behavioural symptoms in different categories of children – infants, toddlers, kids and teens’ is categorized under Children’s Mental Health Education.

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