Research indicates that half of the mental illness can develop by the age of 14. Early recognition is important to the appropriate treatment; otherwise, it can become a part of the child’s behavior making it more difficult to treat. A mental illness affecting the children can be hard to identify making it difficult for several of the children to reach the help they require. Understanding the warning signs of mental illness among the children can be useful by helping them cope with their condition. Some of the red flags of a more serious problem include changes in appetite or sleep, signs of self-destructive behavior such as head-banging, signs of being upset, social withdrawal, feelings of overwhelming fear for no reason, difficulty concentrating, unexplained weight loss and physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach pain. Some of the conditions affecting the children include autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, mood disorders and bi-polar disorder.
Bi-polar disorder
Also known as the pediatric bi-polar disorder can begin during early childhood that continues into adulthood. Children with bi-polar disorder present abrupt mood swings, intense temper tantrums, defiant behavior, periods of hyperactivity followed by lethargy and frustration. The mood swings can produce the chronic irritability followed by periods of peace between the episodes. The treatment for bipolar disorder includes medications and psychotherapy.
Autism
Children with autism appear to be isolated and unable to emotionally connect with people around them. This brain disorder can range from mental retardation, language delays to very high functioning intelligence. This developmental disorder can usually develop among the children before the age of 3 and lasts throughout the person’s life.
Anxiety Disorders
This can cause the children to feel distressed or even frightened for no apparent reason. Anxiety can affect the thoughts and the behavior of the affected children that can interfere with this social life. Some of the signs of anxiety include difficulty concentrating, not eating properly, not sleeping properly or waking up with bad dreams, irritability, outbursts of anger, always crying, fidgety, having negative thoughts and feeling unwell. Some of the types of anxiety include phobias, separation anxiety and social anxiety. The treatment is based on the cause of anxiety and can include counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy or medication.
Mood disorders
Mood disorders can develop as the result of chemical imbalance in the brain which may be triggered by chronic stress or environmental factors. Some of the common types of mood disorders that can affect the children and adolescents include disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, persistent depressive disorder and major depression. Children with the mood disorders can experience persistent feelings of sadness or extreme mood swings which can be more severe than the mood swings common among other people.
Attention-deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
The symptoms of ADHD can be evident before the age of 6. The signs of inattentiveness include short attention span, careless mistakes, forgetfulness, unable to carry out instructions and difficulty organizing tasks. The signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness include the inability to sit still, fidgeting constantly, excessive talking, interrupting conversations, no sense of danger, excessive physical movement and acting without thinking. The treatment for ADHD includes medication, therapy or a combination of both.
References
https://medlineplus.gov/childmentalhealth.html
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/anxiety-children/Pages/Introduction.aspx
https://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children/childhood-anxiety-disorders
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Treatment.aspx
