{"id":327,"date":"2019-10-10T16:42:33","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T20:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cognimmune.com\/?page_id=327"},"modified":"2019-10-10T16:42:33","modified_gmt":"2019-10-10T20:42:33","slug":"is-your-child-experiencing-a-mental-illness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cognimmune.com\/index.php\/is-your-child-experiencing-a-mental-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Child Experiencing a Mental Illness?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nearly one in five children is experiencing some sort of emotional or behavioral disorder. As a parent you may recognize that something with your child is not right. Difficulty can arise when you try to address these changes without having the necessary background, knowledge or experience to identify them and then to develop a strategy to deal with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-329\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/baby-with-teddy-bear.png?resize=400%2C298&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/baby-with-teddy-bear.png?resize=300%2C223&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/baby-with-teddy-bear.png?resize=768%2C571&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/baby-with-teddy-bear.png?w=1008&amp;ssl=1 1008w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>Many parents wonder what they should do when their child begins having problems at school or with friends, becomes uncooperative or has inexplicable outbursts. These behaviors can leave parents feeling confused and unsure about what to do.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the best thing to do first is to look for symptoms that indicate that your child is experiencing some form of distress. Although this may sound like a daunting task, you may be surprised at how easy it can be and how well equipped you already are, as a parent, to take this step.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following warning signs may indicate a problem needing specialized attention. Be certain that these symptoms are not related to a recent stressful event such as a move, divorce, the loss of a loved one or care giver for example, but have developed for other reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">avoiding friends and family<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hitting or bullying other children<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">acting out or rebelling against authority<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">drinking alcohol or using drugs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not doing the things he or she used to enjoy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">worrying constantly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">displaying frequent mood swings<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obsessed with his or her weight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lacking energy or motivation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increased risk-taking behaviour<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">feeling very down<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">having more difficulty at school.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">attempting to injure or cut him or herself..<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">experiencing intense emotions such as angry outbursts or extreme fear.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">difficulty concentrating.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">difficulty sleeping, or complaining of a lot of nightmares.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unusual physical complaints.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduced concern with his or her weight, shape, or appearance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eating significantly more or less than usual.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An easy way to track your child\u2019s behavior is by printing this list and circling any of the symptoms you may notice. If they persist for a <em>minimum<\/em> of two weeks or more, this may be an indication that your child is indeed grappling with a serious mental or emotional crisis. If you suspect this might be the case you should take action as quickly as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may try something as simple as mentioning to your child that you have noticed a change in their behavior and simply ask them if there is something they are worried or anxious about or if something is bothering them. Of course, the way you approach this will vary according to the age of your child and the relationship you have with them. If your child is more comfortable speaking with one parent rather than another then it would probably be best for that parent to initiate the discussion. Don\u2019t get frustrated if your child doesn\u2019t immediately respond to your inquiries. If this is the case then make sure they know that you are there and ready to <em>\u201clisten\u201d<\/em> to them when they feel they want to share their concerns with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may also want to reach out to your child\u2019s school or teachers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has there been any bullying occurring?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has one of your child\u2019s close friends left the school?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is your child experiencing difficulties with any of his or her courses?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are there any challenges your child faces in school that you are not aware of? (These could be academic, social, physical or a combination of these.)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any one, or a combination of these, could be a trigger for changes in mood or behavior. You could also ask your child if there have been any changes at school that you don\u2019t know about. If they suggest that there might be problems, but they don\u2019t want to share them with you, you could suggest a visit to the school guidance counselor or even the principal or vice principal. This approach will depend on whether your child\u2019s school has counselling resources and how comfortable your child might be speaking with an authority figure such as a school principal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-334\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sad-girl-behind-fence.jpg?resize=500%2C357&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sad-girl-behind-fence.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cognimmune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sad-girl-behind-fence.jpg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/>Don\u2019t overlook the possibility that your child\u2019s mood or behavior changes might be the result of a physical problem. A visit to your family doctor might uncover an actual physical trigger for these changes. If there doesn\u2019t appear to be a physical problem ask your family physician if they have any treatment recommendations for the mood or behavior changes. These could include counselling, medication, new physical or other activities, diet changes or others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An important thing to keep in mind is that you don\u2019t have to face this challenge alone. There are supports and resources available to parents and children in most communities. A little internet research will point you in the direction of many of these. You may also ask your school administration or social worker (if your school board offers this kind of support), primary care physician, minister or other faith leader, community organizations, your local library even family and friends &#8211; if you are comfortable approaching them about an issue like this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing this kind of situation can be exhausting, stressful and frustrating. It\u00a0 may get worse before it gets better. This is why it is important to take time for yourself. Make sure you are getting enough rest &#8211; including sleep &#8211; eating properly and getting exercise and fresh air. It is difficult, if not impossible, to care for your child if you are worn down, hungry and exhausted most of the time, so there is no need to feel guilty for taking time for yourself. In fact, it might be one of the most generous things you can do for your child. And this is true at times other than those where your children are dealing with mental or physical problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to pay attention to changes in your child\u2019s behavior and get help in a timely manner. The majority of adulthood mental health problems can trace their roots to childhood issues that were not properly addressed at the time.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nearly one in five children is experiencing some sort of emotional or behavioral disorder. As a parent you may recognize that something with your child is not right. Difficulty can arise when you try to address these changes without having the necessary background, knowledge or experience to identify them and then to develop a strategy [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-327","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is Your Child Experiencing a Mental Illness? -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cognimmune.com\/index.php\/is-your-child-experiencing-a-mental-illness\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is Your Child Experiencing a Mental Illness? -\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nearly one in five children is experiencing some sort of emotional or behavioral disorder. 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