Mental Illness In Children: What Parents Should Know

Mental illness can happen to anybody, including children, young adults and adults. Half of the cases of mental illness begin by age 14, according to research. Mental illness in children can affect their relationships with adults and other children. It will also change their performances in school. If it is not treated, mental illness can affect the rest of their lives.

What to Look For

Parents must observe their children's behaviors always. This may prevent mental illness if detected earlier. Here To Help shares the symptoms of mental illness in children.

Children who have sudden resistance in going to school or absenteeism, low performance in school, do not like to spend time with family and friends, hopelessness, sadness and frequent aggression may struggle from mental illness. Having severe mood swings as well as a sudden change of eating and sleeping patterns, can indicate depression.

In addition, when they have lots of physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches, among others, as well as being suspicious of others. Hearing and seeing things may also lead to mental illness.

If you have noticed your children having any of these symptoms, it is advisable that you act immediately and do something helpful for your children. There are also some things that you should know if your child has the mental illness.

Things You Should Know

Texas has a ways to go in helping children with #mentalillness: https://t.co/HhbFteBDL0

— The Menninger Clinic (@MenningerClinic) March 23, 2016

Parents who have children with mental illness must realize that mental illness cannot just get over in one day or a week. Huffington Post reports that mental illness takes the time to treat, manage and accept. It is also important that you should not call your children who are diagnosed with mental illness "crazy" or "insane." This would make things worse.

People who have mental illness have an unstable condition such as this day is excellent for them and the next day is a different story. The good news is that mental illness can be manageable. You can have therapies, a lot of exercises, medications and a group support to treat mental illness.

There is hope for your children to live better and be treated in time. Although sometimes they wouldn't like to fight for it and seem they get worse. As parents, you need to be strong and patient with their moods. Try to see and treat them as normal human beings so their mental illness would not be aggravated.

Physical contact is also significant. Hug and kiss them from time to time. On the other hand, they would also experience soreness, headaches, upset stomachs and more. Just be ready with the medications that they need.