Mental health issues in children are becoming a serious problem nowadays. As per the report of Canadian Mental Health Association, 1 in every 7 children experiences a mental illness during early age. These statistics pose a real concern for the parents.
Visible wounds are relatively easy to recognize. When something does not seem right with your child, your first reaction is to check for physical injuries. But once you rule out the physical reason for your child to behave differently, you often feel confused and unsure about what to do. During such situations, you must pay attention to the psychological issues that your child might be experiencing. If your child suddenly seems worried, withdrawn, fearful or stressed, it is an alarming warning that you must investigate the issue in depth and understand the real cause of concern.
If you suspect mental illness in your child, it is important to recognize the signs that may indicate a problem.
Signs of Potential Mental Illness in a Child
If your child is behaving or experiencing the following, it is time to see a mental health therapist or a child counselor
- If your child is behaving or experiencing the following, it is time to see a mental health therapist or a child counsellor
- Experiences sudden and frequent mood swings
- Shows episodes of tearfulness
- Lacks energy and feels depressed
- Decreased interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Lack of motivation
- Shows eating disorders i.e. do not eat properly or overeats
- Avoids friends and family
- Attempts to injure himself
- Shows overaggressive behaviors like hitting, biting, kicking, etc.
- Unable to cope with minor frustrations
- Experiences sleeping disorder or complaints of a lot of nightmares
- Hitting other children in school or bullying them
- Experiences intense emotions like extreme fear, anger outbursts, etc.
- Has difficulty in concentrating
- Has a problem of bedwetting after a particular age
- Too obsessed with his appearance, weight, etc.
- Acts socially withdrawn or isolated
- Sudden drop in grades
- Increase in physical complaints like a headache, not feeling well, stomach ache, etc.
- Starts consuming of alcohol or drug
- Expresses thoughts of suicide
If your child shows some or many of these signs, he most likely needs a child counseling. It proves to be extremely beneficial. So help your child before the situation turns worse. Let us now understand the importance of a child therapy.
Why is a Therapy Important?
As a parent, you have a huge responsibility. Children often do not realize when they need help. They might consider their symptoms as normal but as a parent, you must identify these alarming signs and take necessary steps to help them.
Many kids need help to deal with school stress such as test anxiety, peer pressure, homework, bullying in school, etc. Other kids need help to discuss their feelings about family issues. A mental health therapy can help children in developing problem-solving skills. It helps them to cope with various behavioral issues, stress, and emotions.
Finding the Right Therapist
Once you have realised that your child needs a mental health therapy, the biggest challenge is to find the right therapist who can not only treat the problem but at the same time, your child is comfortable talking to him.
You should look for someone who has experience of working with kids and teens or who has dealt with the similar situation in the past. Though education and experience are important, but at the same time, you should also pay attention to the relationship that the therapist develops with your child. To find the right fit, you may also look for recommendations from your close friends, family and co-workers.
How Can We Help?
At The Family Enhancement Centre, we provide counseling services to help children, teens, and parents overcome various issues. It can be a minor problem or a major mental health illness, we work our best to help you come out of the situation and live a happy life. Our services include relationship counseling, youth counselling, marriage counselling, child counseling, etc.
If you are experiencing any issues with your child’s behavior, we are just a call away. You can call us on 905-799-2228 to book a consultation. You can also drop us an email on info@tfec.ca or fill out our online form by clicking on this link. We currently serve from our offices in Brampton, Mississauga, Niagara Falls and Orangeville. Our team consists of experienced and well-qualified professionals.
Conclusion
Do not hesitate to talk to a qualified therapist if your child experiences a problem. Your quick attention can help him overcome the situation and lead to a healthy life.
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Book an appointment for counselling session today!
We are a full service counselling centre dedicated to helping you achieve and maintain a state of wellness for yourself and your family.
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