The role of a psychiatrist is to treat a mental illness of any age – children to adult. But the best psychiatrist helps to prevent mental illness and sow the positive traits in a child. In this regard, the mental well-being of the child in formative age is very important.
Mental Health for Children (aged 0–12)
Early childhood period (0 to 12 years) is the time of physical and mental growth. The brain, nervous system, social, motor and cognition forms during this period. The immediate environment, social support system and their experiences shape these growth. If the child has a positive and rewarding experience, the child, is free from mental stress. They and would have enough strength to cope up issues that might crop up later in life. If child has negative experiences, he/she may develop vulnerability for mental illness.
It is imperative to establish an appropriate mental health and well-being in childhood. Parents needs to ensure and provide children with the strong foundation. Such a foundation should include physical, educational, social, emotional and cognitive development.
Parents, care-givers and other significant adults (immediate first and second degree relatives) play a vital role in the child’s development. They have important role and contribution in building and protecting the child’s mental health. Children who have good mental health carry it with them through life.
Yet, there is a small proportion of children (around one in ten), who may experience a mental health condition during childhood, and one need to better support these children. Given the fact that about half of all mental health conditions in adulthood begin to manifest by the age of fourteen, the best time to act is early, during childhood.
When diagnosed and attended too, many of the negative experiences of the child may be overcome by training properly in resiliency. Resilience refers to the ability to do well during or after an adverse event, or a period of adversity. This adversity could be social (loss of dear ones), economical (poverty) or in any form that affects the mental well-being of the child.
In a child, the resiliency is shaped by a dynamic learning.
· The process is dependent on the
- Individual factors or traits of the child (ability to understand, temperament)
- Environmental factors (healthy relationship)
- Socioeconomic conditions of the family
- Interactions of these factors in the above spectrum
Resiliency exists as a spectrum of behavioral changes.
- Resiliency is dynamic and changing. Hence proper treatment definitely can bring in change.
- Resiliency is sometime self-learnt as it changes over time and self-learning process enables it
- Resiliency is one that everyone can learn by dealing with current adverse experiences or to prepare for future adversity by proper planning or developing a positive social support system.
- Resiliency is subject to religio-socio-cultural norms. Sometimes, family values may also contribute to its uniqueness.
Resiliency is not
- A character or trait that a child has or does not have
- Is not only about the skills and capabilities of the individual child
- An innate quality that only some people are born with
- Fixed character trait
- Freedom from negative emotions
It is purely socially learnt coping skill and needs to be taught to children in an effective manner. With changing social norms, information transformation, the child needs to properly taught to overcome the adversities (major/minor) or stressor such as bullying, abuse, harassment etc.,
The first and foremost is teaching the child to ask help, if and when required. For the communication channels between the child and the immediate caregivers (parents/siblings/teachers) needs to be open, normal and in a friendly manner. It is a matter of mutual trust and respect, which both parties need to contribute.
Hence the treating psychiatrist needs to train to develop the communication channels and try to improve the positive resiliency in the child.
To know more, Please contact Psychiatrist Dr. Anusa AM at Old Mahabalipuram Road or https://omrpsychiatrist.in/psychiatrist-appointment-omr/
The young adults (age group of 13 to 25 years) could suffer from the following types of mental issues. This depends on lot of factors:
- Stress, Anxiety and Depression – read more https://omrpsychiatrist.in/stress-anxiety-and-depression/
- Bullying
- Mental illness due to physical health problems
- Family discordance
- Greif and loss
- Self-harm and self-injury behavior
- Low self-esteem and body image – read more https://omrpsychiatrist.in/anorexia-nervosa-an-eating-disorder-and-its-treatment/
- Discrimination
- Tobacco use – read more @ https://omrpsychiatrist.in/tobacco-cessation/
- Alcohol and Drugs addiction – read more @ https://omrpsychiatrist.in/alcohol-deaddiction/
- Other addictions – read more @ https://omrpsychiatrist.in/deaddiction/