WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

In infants, children and youth, mental well-being involves developing good self-esteem, being able to play, learn, have close family relationships, ability to get along with others, make friends, manage feelings and behaviours in a range of situations and being able to achieve one’s potential.

A mental health problem can happen to anyone irrespective of age, gender and socio-economic status. Sometimes a problem develops after something traumatic has happened like the death of a loved one or bullying. Sometimes it just happens out of the blue and there is no obvious reason.

The important thing to remember is that mental health issues are common. About 1 in 10-20 children or young people have a diagnosable mental health condition. There are times, however, when you might worry about your child’s feelings or behaviour. If this lasts long enough to interfere with your child’s everyday life, it could be a sign of a more serious problem that needs a follow-up. As a parent or caregiver, if you have these concerns, please seek professional advice. We can be contacted on 91506 89885 for a confidential discussion about your child and to make a referral yourself.

We will help you understand the underlying difficulties, recover from any mental health difficulties or emotional, behavioural or social problems and to become the best children/young person and families you can be and have good mental health and wellbeing!

MENTAL HEALTH IN BABIES AND TODDLERS

Babies are born with their individual way of experiencing and coping with the world which is called temperament. Some aspects help them cope better and some do not. Babies are born with an intrinsic need to connect with their parents, caregivers and the environment. This is called attachment.

A number of things can be stressful for the parent, caregiver the baby or toddler or both of them. Some of the stressful issues are traumatic events, having a disability, having a medical condition, being born very early, having slow or different patterns of development, changes in the family including postnatal depression, mental health issues in parents, family violence, social and financial challenges etc. These will affect how parents and babies/toddlers relate to each other and how they develop.

Sometimes parents might feel that they have not “bonded” with their infant or they might feel that their infant is not responding or connecting with them. Help is available for such difficulties at Pathways Clinic. We can do an assessment and understand how your baby or toddler is developing compared to other children and suggest ideas of what might help them, and you feel better. The assessment process involves talking, listening and watching the infant with their parents.

Young children can have mental health issues just like older ones. They mainly learn about the world, emotions and behaviour by watching their parents and other adults and older children in their life. They can get worried if their parents are worried and may even feel sad. They might even become angry, irritable or aggressive, if they do not know how to modify their emotions.

Some of the common manifestations of underlying mental health issues in babies and toddlers are:

  • Sleep difficulties (unsettled sleep, or nightmares).
  • Appears to be unhappy, restless, grumpy, or irritable.
  • Refusing to eat.
  • Excessive crying or not crying at all.
  • Not making eye contact or avoiding eye contact.
  • Clingy to parents and not leaving them or be away from them.
  • Scared or fearful about trying new things.
  • Being less playful or having limited types of play or games they like to do.
  • Having toileting difficulties.
  • Aggressive behaviours including shouting, kicking, biting, breaking things and having severe tantrums.
  • Inability to calm down when upset (meltdowns).
  • Hurting themselves (biting, headbanging, holding breath) and others or pets.
  • Delay in developmental milestones including speech delay.

Some of the above behaviours are normal in certain developmental stages. It becomes a mental health issue if these behaviours or worries get in the way of them developing age appropriate skills, controlling their feelings and thoughts appropriately, or their social skills. The earlier you seek help the quicker the baby can get back on track on learning and developing appropriate skills.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN EARLY AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

During this stage a young child undergoes a lot of changes in their cognitive, emotional and social development. They start going to school and making friends and have to comply with a lot of expectations in the society. They begin to develop a sense of who they are and develop their own interests. As exciting as this can be, it can also be a challenging phase for some families.

Some of the common manifestations of underlying mental health issues in early and middle childhood are:

  • Worry about leaving home and separating from parents or caregivers, especially in new situations, affecting their ability to go to school, concentrate and learn and be confident with others.
  • Attention and concentration difficulties that impact learning and social skills.
  • Learning problems.
  • Relationship difficulties with siblings, friends or parents.
  • Difficulty making and maintaining friendships
  • Developing fears or phobias e.g. about.thunder, insects such as spiders, snakes, water, etc.
  • Persistent refusal to comply with rules, limits or boundaries at home and school.
  • Obsessions or compulsions that makes the child upset or affects their functioning.
  • Withdrawal from spending time with family and friends and/or doing activities that they once enjoyed.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE

This is a difficult transition period for the adolescent and the parents or care givers due to a number of normal social and emotional developmental challenges that occur int his period. This is the time the adolescent is trying to figure out who they are and what type of person they want to be in life. They start to become more and more independent and responsible while at the same time their brain is still developing. This is a time when they have really strong emotions and their emotional responses may be erratic and parents might find it difficult to understand these changes. Parents also may feel left out as the adolescent wants to be closer to their friends. All these changes are likely to create conflicts between parents and their young adolescent children.

It is important to understand that a number of brain changes are happening in this stage of development which helps the adolescent to problem solve, control their impulses and make decisions. Although physically they look grown up, they are still developing emotionally, and this can mean that their behaviours may be impulsive and unpredictable

Some of the common manifestations of underlying mental health issues in young adolescents are:

  • Prolonged periods of withdrawal such as spending a lot of time alone and not engaging in social activities.
  • Sustained changes in emotions such as periods of sadness, anger, irritability, anxiety.
  • Sleep changes.
  • Appetite changes with either eating too much or too little with resultant loss or gain in weight.
  • Poor concentration and deterioration in schoolwork.
  • Experimenting in substance use (cigarettes, drugs or alcohol).
  • Frequent arguments and conflicts with family members.
  • Not enjoying their usual activities such as sports.
  • Talking about death or ‘not wanting to be around’.
  • Talking about feeling others are watching them or feeling ‘paranoid’.
  • Hallucinations: identifying seeing, feeling or hearing things that can’t be experienced by others.
  • Excessive Internet, gaming or media use.

Although some of the above features are normal developmental changes and are transient, others are not. If the young adolescent is experiencing any of these difficulties persistently parents need to seek help.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN LATE ADOLESCENCE AND EARLY ADULTHOOD

Older teens are more developed physically and mentally. However, their brains are still completing their development, particularly the parts of the brain that influences problem solving, impulse control and decision-making skills which is the prefrontal cortex. Research has shown that adolescents between 15 and 18 years of age are at increased risk of developing a major mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. There are a number of reasons for this as this is the time when young people experience increased family, peer and societal pressures that can impact on their functioning.

Some of the common manifestations of underlying mental health issues in late adolescence and early adulthood are:

  • Excessive anxiety or worry.
  • Low mood and other emotional changes. Increased irritability and/or aggressive behaviours.
  • Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
  • Social withdrawal and loss of interest in usual activities and hobbies.
  • Self-harming behaviours such as cutting or burning themselves.
  • Poor concentration, motivation and academic performance. School avoidance.
  • Sleeping and appetite changes with weight changes.
  • Paranoia (fear of something bad happening or being watched by others).
  • Perceptual disturbances such as hearing voices and/or seeing things that other people can’t.
  • Drug and or alcohol use, which might go beyond experimental use.
  • Risk taking or impulsive behaviours.
  • Criminal behaviours such as thef.t
  • Relationship issues and issues with sexuality.
  • Excessive Internet, gaming or media use.

Parents might find it difficult to negotiate with their older adolescent and they may get angry and get into conflict. It is important that parents focus on listening to their adolescent/young adult child’s concerns in an empathic manner and help them in using appropriate supports within the community and seek professional help.