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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
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Child and Adolescent Mental Health
(National Institute of Mental Health)
- 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)
-
Treatment of Children with Mental Illness
(National Institute of Mental Health)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) 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) - PDF Also in Spanish
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Mental Health Medications
(National Institute of Mental Health)
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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
- Finding Mental Healthcare for Children of Immigrants (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
- Hearing Voices and Seeing Things (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
-
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do
(National Institute of Mental Health)
Also in Spanish
- Partnering with Your Child's School: A Guide for Parents (HSC Foundation) - PDF
- Sleep Tips for Children's Mental Health (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Health (Mental Health America)
Specifics
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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)
- Helping Kids Handle Worry (Nemours Foundation)
- Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
- Reactive Attachment Disorder (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
- Separation Anxiety (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Signs of Overload (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Why Am I So Sad? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Children's Mental Health: Data & Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
-
Girls Thrive Emotionally, Boys Falter After Move to Better Neighborhood
(National Institute of Mental Health)
- Use of Medication Prescribed for Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties among Children Aged 6-17 Years in the United States, 2011-2012 (National Center for Health Statistics)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Mental Disorders
(National Institutes of Health)
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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)
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Help for Mental Illnesses
(National Institute of Mental Health)
-
National Institute of Mental Health
- Psychologist Locator (American Psychological Association)
Children
- Going to a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Therapist (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Storm in My Brain: Kids and Mood Disorders (Bipolar Disorder and Depression) (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) - PDF
Girls
- What Girls Say About: The Pressure to Be Pretty (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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