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Do My Children and I Need Help? Depression - Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) - Eating Disorders Parents often wonder if their children are acting "normal," "going through a phase" or in need of professional services to help them cope. The following are a few signs that may indicate a need for professional help. YOUNG CHILDREN:
PRE-ADOLESCENTS AND ADOLESCENTS:
We have put together more detailed information on some of the common symptoms and problems young children and adolescents experience, with a guideline to help you decide if someone you know may need professional mental health services. Depression: Sadness is a normal part of life. It is a human being's response to loss, something everyone experiences from time to time. This response includes changes in emotional state and behavior. Depression is defined as an illness, however, if it persists over several months. Parents and teachers should be aware of the signs of depressions which need to be treated:
If you suspect that your child is depressed, counseling and/or psychiatric medication may be needed. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) with Hyperactivity (ADHD): Does it seem to you that your child just cannot sit still? Does he of she bother other kids in school? Is your child having difficulty with his or her schoolwork? As you look back, as a baby were his sleep patterns inconsistent? As a toddler, was she accident prone, fussy, in constant motion? If your child is continuing to have problems in school, at home and play, he or she may have Attention Deficit Disorder. The essential features are:
Children with these symptoms have a tendency to be oppositional and aggressive, as well as learning disordered. Boys are 10 times more likely to suffer from ADD/ADHD than girls. If you suspect that your child may suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder with or without hyperactivity, he should be tested. Treatment usually involves stimulant drugs, such as Ritalin, along with behavior management therapy for use at home and at school. Eating Disorders: Overeating related to tension, poor nutritional habits and food fads are common eating problems for youngsters. As children, and especially girls, become teenagers they start to worry about their appearance. Dieting is very common. Two psychiatric eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia, however, are on the increase among teenage girls. A person suffering from Anorexia Nervosa irrationally believes she is fat, no matter how thin she may be, and attempts to starve herself. A person suffering from Bulimia will binge on huge quantities of food, then purge her body by self-induced vomiting or using laxatives. How do you know when someone has a problem? What to look for:
Both Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa are a result of feelings of low self-esteem or of lack of control over other aspects of their life. With professional assistance and proper treatment, these children can be helped. The above disorders are, by no means, the only possible diagnoses for children in need of mental health attention, but they are a few of the more common ones. If you suspect your child may be in need of experienced, professional help, and you live in the Youngstown / Warren, Ohio area, call D&E Counseling Center at (330) 793-2487. If you live outside the area, contact your local community health board or your state Department of Mental Health and/or Department of Health and Human Services.
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