We all see kids become moody all of a sudden. However, it’s hard to identify if their emotions, actions, or behaviors indicate something serious. Since children can have basic to complex mental illnesses, be a little more attentive to your kids’ personalities. Symptoms of a mental health condition in a child can be different than adults. If you’re concerned about your child’s actions and emotions, you can consult the best psychiatrist doctor in Siliguri.
How your child behaves can also indicate if he/she has mental health issues. Do not ignore excessive mood swings, out-of-control behaviour, frequent arguments, meaningless anger, irritability, or actions that can hurt them or others.
A child’s mental health is his/her well-being of thoughts, emotions, and behavior. A mental illness needs expert attention. Without expert help, a mental condition can affect one’s quality of life severely.
Common mental health issues in children
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders in kids are mainly fears or worries that can make your child angry or irritable. These worries can make it hard for kids to have fun, go to school, or hang out with friends. Some common diagnoses include social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Symptoms
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Sleep disturbances
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Hard to concentrate
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Feeling tense
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Feeling angry
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Worrying constantly
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Feeling fidgety
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Having negative thoughts
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Waking in the night
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Going toilet more often
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Headaches
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Stomach aches
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Fatigue
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
It is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects your kids’ communication, interaction skills, and behavior. ASD affects a kid’s perception and socialization, causing repetitive patterns of behaviors, such as movements, or hand flapping. You might see the top psychiatrists in Siliguri North Bengal.
Symptoms
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Poor eye contact
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Prefer to play alone
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Not smiling
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Not making joyful expressions
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Babbling
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Any loss of speech
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Extreme recreations to little changes in routine
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Dislike of loud noises
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Doesn’t respond to name by the age of 9 months
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Few to no gestures by 12 months
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Playing with toys every timethe same way
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Having obsessive interests
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Rocking body
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Spinning self in circles
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Kids with ADHD have difficulty focusing, controlling their impulses, etc. They can be super active. ADHD is a chronic condition that includes trouble with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. It starts in childhood.
Symptoms
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Forget things
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Lose things
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Hard time resisting temptation
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Daydreaming a lot
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Talking too much
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Difficulty following instructions
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Dislike tasks that need focus
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Getting easily distracted
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Making careless mistakes in schoolwork
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Trouble staying seated
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Interrupting
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Difficulty waiting for their turns
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Feeling fidget
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Constant motion
Depression
Depression in children makes them feel irritable, sad, and hopeless. It leads to frequent mood swings in kids. You may notice your kid has sleep issues, changes in appetite, and relationship issues with others. Get expert attention since untreated depression in kids keeps them from enjoying hobbies, school, sports, etc. Talk to the best psychiatrist doctor in Siliguriabout mentalillnesses in children.
Symptoms
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Mood swings
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Lack of interest in activities/hobbies
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Low energy
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Negative self-talk
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Changes in how they eat
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Trouble sleeping
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Sleeping too much
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Sadness
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Crankiness
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Anger
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Being more sensitive to rejections
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Social withdrawal
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Hopelessness
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Headaches
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Stomach pain
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Thoughts of self-harm
Eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa (your child refuses to eat because they fear becoming fat), Binge eating (your child eats large amounts of food in a short time with no purging, andBulimia (when your kid eats fast and gets rid of it by vomiting) are some common eating disorders in children.
Symptoms
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Low body weight
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Unusual eating behaviors
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Extreme fear of becoming fat
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Denial of hunger
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Too much physical activity
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Long period of not eating
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Dental erosion
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Being secretive about eating
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Belly pain
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Constipation
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Depression
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Dizziness
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Dehydration
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Low body temperature
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Skipping meals
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Weight fluctuations
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Eating faster
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Feeling disgusted after overeating
If you notice certain signs in your kid, make sure to understand their feelings by talking to them. Do not blame your child. Make them feel comfortable and be sure to consult a healthcare provider. You might need to see your child a psychiatrist. Medications and talk therapy are two effective treatments to heal mental illnesses in children. Besides these, lifestyle improvements, healthy eating, sports, traveling, etc. make your child feel better day by day.
