What may surprise you is that one in five children suffers from mental illnesses interfering with their daily life. According to American Psychological Association this often this goes unrecognized by professionals and parents because they expect them to “grow out” of their problems.
Psychologists have pointed out two symptoms that should be paid careful attention to:
• Extremes or peculiarity of behavior for the age and gender of the child, such as being significantly more hyper, aggressive, or withdrawn
• Sudden, hard-to-explain negative changes in behavior, such as a steep drop in grades
Children are evaluated according to The Child Behavior Checklist and DSM-V for a potential diagnosis. The significance of helping young children manage their emotional and behavioral problems early in life may prevent the development of disorders. As mental illness develops over time not only does it become increasingly difficult to treat but it also causes them to miss out on many childhood experiences.
Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/treatment-of-children-with-mental-illness-fact-sheet/index.shtml
http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/mental-illness-in-kids-surprising-warning-signs.aspx?xid=tw_depression_20111212_emotional
