What should we need to know about children's mental health?

Just as we teach children how to care for their physical health, we need to teach them to care for their mental health. We all have mental health needs, and these needs change as we grow and develop. Most of us have grown up not knowing how to take care of our mental health. That can make it hard for us to know how to teach our children to care for their mental health. While some people are born with mental health problems, others develop them later in life. It is important to know that emotional/mental health problems can develop at any age. Difficult events (called emotional stressors) can make mental health problems worse. There are also beneficial events (called emotional supports) that help a person to be able to deal with their problems. Children who live with many stressors without support are more likely to develop mental health problems. However, even children with a great deal of emotional support can still develop mental health problems. The sooner a problem is identified, the sooner help can be found. This is important, since research studies confirm that help in the early stages of a mental health problem can prevent the problem from getting worse. What can be done to help children?Change and stress are normal parts of life. However, teaching children how to cope with upsetting change and stress helps them to be healthier, happier people. Some things seem to strengthen a child's ability to cope with stressors in their lives.

They include:

* having a stable and supportive family or adult (such as a parent, relative, friend, or teacher)
* other stable and supportive resources (such as school, church, or preschool/daycare setting)
* having a personality which is good at solving problems, handling stress, and seeking out support
* understanding that we all have mental health needs, and knowing how to care for those needs

A child may exhibit just one of these types of behavior or some combination of them. How do I know if there's a problem? When a child behaves in unusual ways, it is difficult to say whether there is something wrong with the child, or whether the child is reacting. Mental health develops in a series of stages, just like physical, social, and other kinds of development. This means that sometimes an emotional stage may be very difficult, while at other times, these stages may be more positive. It can be difficult to tell the difference between emotional stages that normally occur, and problems that are of a more serious nature. The following is a developmental checklist to help you to know if a problem may exist.

* Depressed mood, loss of interest in activities and relationships
* Trouble sleeping or difficulty with eating
* Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, suicidal talk or action
* Continued resistance to attending school
* Headaches or stomach aches that keep occurring but don't seem to have a cause
* Easily distractable or unable to pay attention
* Poor school work, including being very behind in reading or math
* Aggressive or hurtful behavior
* School work or attendance which is going downhill
* Acting out sexual behaviors that are inappropriate for the child's age
* Sexual or physical aggression
* Constant refusal to comply with rules at home or school
* Truancy, chemical abuse, running away
* Eating disorder, unusual eating patterns
* Inability to develop values, morals, relationships or educational goals