Child Mental Health

Article originally published on MedlinePlus. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); Opioid Misuse and Addiction; [updated 2018 Aug 30; cited 2022 Aug 10]; Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/childmentalhealth.html

Summary

It’s important to recognize and treat mental illnesses in children early on. Once mental illness develops, it becomes a regular part of your child’s behavior. This makes it more difficult to treat.

But it’s not always easy to know when your child has a serious problem. Everyday stresses can cause changes in your child’s behavior. For example, getting a new brother or sister or going to a new school may cause a child to temporarily act out. Warning signs that it might be a more serious problem include:

Problems in more than one setting (at school, at home, with peers)
Changes in appetite or sleep
Social withdrawal or fear of things he or she did not used to be not afraid of
Returning to behaviors more common in younger children, such as bedwetting
Signs of being upset, such as sadness or tearfulness
Signs of self-destructive behavior, such as head-banging or suddenly getting hurt often
Repeated thoughts of death

To diagnose mental health problems, the doctor or mental health specialist looks at your child’s signs and symptoms, medical history, and family history. Treatments include medicines and talk therapy.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health

Start Here

Child and Adolescent Mental Health (National Institute of Mental Health)
Children and Mental Health: Is This Just a Stage? (National Institute of Mental Health)Also in Spanish
Children’s Mental Health (American Psychological Association)
Children’s Mental Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Emotional Disturbance (Center for Parent Information and Resources)

Diagnosis and Tests

Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)Also in Spanish
Mental Health Screening (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
Mental Illness in Children: Know the Signs (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
When to Seek Help for Your Child (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

11 Questions to Ask Before Psychiatric Hospitalization of Your Child or Adolescent (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) – PDFAlso in Spanish
Mental Health Medications (National Institute of Mental Health)
Psychotherapies (National Institute of Mental Health)
Psychotherapies for Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)Also in Spanish
Residential Treatment Programs (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Taking Your Child to a Therapist (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
What Parents Should Know about Treatment of Behavioral and Emotional Disorders in Preschool Children (American Psychological Association)

Related Issues

Building Resilience in Children (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
Children and Grief (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)Also in Spanish
COVID-19: Helping Children Cope (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Hearing Voices and Seeing Things (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope With Traumatic Events (National Institute of Mental Health)Also in Spanish
Sleep Tips for Your Family’s Mental Health (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Health (Mental Health America)

Specifics

Anxiety Disorders (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens (National Institute of Mental Health)Also in Spanish
Depression (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (National Institute of Mental Health)
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: The Basics (National Institute of Mental Health)Also in Spanish
Helping Children Handle Stress (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Helping Kids when They Worry (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
How to Ease Children’s Anxiety About COVID-19 (NAMI)
Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Separation Anxiety (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

Children’s Mental Health: Data & Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Mental Disorders (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Mental Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Help for Mental Illnesses (National Institute of Mental Health)Also in Spanish
National Institute of Mental Health Also in Spanish
Psychologist Locator (American Psychological Association)

Children

Going to a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Therapist (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Stand Up to Stress! (National Institute of Mental Health) – PDFAlso in Spanish
Talking about Your Feelings (Nemours Foundation)
Why Am I So Sad? (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

Generalized anxiety disorder – children (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
Stress in childhood (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
Traumatic events and children (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish

You are not alone