Mental health problems in children
Hello friends, in difficult times of the pandemic, the most affected are the children who go to school. In younger children where the fundamental years have been affected, in older children serious mental health disorders have been noted. His reading, writing, gaming, grasping, hyperactivity, and physical functioning have been negatively affected. Things are getting back to normal, but still, children’s behavior needs to be identified, monitored, and parents and teachers need to play a vital role in that. According to a worldwide study, around 15% of children suffer from mental disorders or mental health problems. This is an alarming sign. The home is the first place to start and parents need to be vigilant as it can be detrimental to a child’s development and healthy development. Schools should also focus on providing a nurturing environment for the good development of the child to support good mental health.
Symptoms of mental disorders in school-age children-
If the child is behaving abnormally or not in himself, parents should be cautious. They need to notice every minor change in children’s behavior as it is easy to recognize in the early stage and needs proper treatment. There are certain symptoms that you may notice in a child’s behavior.
1) Hyperactivity: Today’s generation is undoubtedly restless and hyperactive. But some kids have that destructive energy that you and others can easily pick up on. Those kids are hyperactive. They cannot sit and move here and there. They are restless, they throw things, their facial expressions are always full of agony and they throw tantrums for no reason. You may see a hole in the wall or broken toys, broken books and unhandled things. They are like storms and everything that gets in their way goes to waste. Be alert if the child was calm before but her behavior changes over a couple of months or days.
2) Yelling/Crying and Tantrums: These children can be shown throwing tantrums on highways, malls, and other public places. They act like victims all the time. They cry for no reason. They leave no stone unturned to humiliate their peers and even their parents. They are always crying for one thing or the other.
3) Fear of rejection: in children who go to school, the fear of rejection or not being accepted is the greatest. It fills them with stress and anxiety. Be it gambling, studying or any other competition, they always fear rejection and not being accepted. This fear makes them shy and takes away their confidence.
4) The child is a little more shy when interacting with the outside world: the child wants to be alone. He doesn’t want to mix with anyone. Even in family time, he wants to avoid the scene and indulges more in screen activities and/or draws meaningless faces and pictures. He may be introverted, but he controls changes in behavior patterns.
If you notice one or more of the symptoms, you should be vigilant and identify, assess, and take immediate action. If the precautions are not taken in time, it may ruin the development of the children, and in the long run, they are disturbed by mental pressure.
How to normalize mental health problems in children–
It is a great challenge dealing with children suffering from mental illness. It is the joint responsibility of the parents and the school to help these children. First of all, parents should be alert for any minor behavior change in the behavior of the children. Schools also need to be more interactive to normalize students’ mental health. Let him discuss this in detail.
Parents have a big role to play in dealing with psychiatric problems in school-going children.
a) Parents should notice, identify and monitor changes in children’s behavior. They should also monitor children’s sleeping and eating commands. If there is a small change, talk to the child about it. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Therefore, parents should closely observe any slight changes in the child’s behavior.
b) Talk to the child about his school, his friends, activities or if he has any problems at school. His circle of friends plays an important role in developing his mental and physical growth. Check if the child is stressed or speaking negatively.
c) Spend time with the child: play with him, let him feel comfortable to talk with you about what he wants to share. Let them open their hearts. Be her support and mentor instead of being bossy. Play some indoor or outdoor games with the kids. Channel your energy into some creative stuff.
d) Do not let the competition suffer your child. You don’t always need to be on top. Tell them to do their best and teach them that failure is also a part of life and how to deal with failure in life. Let them face reality and get new experiences in life.
e) Closely monitor the quality of the child’s screen: Online activity check will help you closely monitor the type of content the child is browsing. Some online activities and games are not good for a child’s mental health, they put pressure on him and make him vulnerable to cyberbullies. It leaves the child helpless and takes away his peace of mind.
Schools and teachers need to be more interactive and supportive.–
Schools also have an important role in developing a child’s healthy mental health. The pandemic has negatively affected the health of children both physically and mentally. It will take some time for the children to return to normal. Still, mental health is a huge challenge for schools. There are some important steps that schools can take.
Mental Health Awareness Campaigns-
Awareness of students’ mental health issues is a huge challenge for schools. They can organize campaigns to spread awareness about mental health issues. They need to focus on taking precautionary measures to make sure that students are better served not only from the infrastructure and the curriculum, but take it as a challenge to solve the mental health problems of the students.
Counselors can help a lot-
The schools can take the help of the counselors to help the students to take care of the mental health of the students. Counselors can better understand students’ mental challenges, assess them, identify them, and help them deal with problems that are detrimental to their mental health.
3) Interactive sessions between teacher and children: Interactive sessions between students and teachers help to fill communication gaps and better deal with students’ health problems. Teachers need more friendly and interactive sessions with students to help them better identify their needs and resolve mental disorders.
4) Interactive Sessions Between Teachers and Parents on Children’s Mental Health – It’s more of the commentary section where parents and teachers come together to discuss issues facing children. It can be constructive feedback or healthier conversations to address children’s mental health and normalize their behavior.
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