Should I bring my child to see a psychologist?
If your child suffered a physical injury, you’d take them to the doctor to get them checked out. So why would it be any different for a mental health condition? If you or your child are concerned about how they are thinking, feeling, or behaving, it may be a sign to address these concerns with a licensed psychologist.
Childhood can be stressful. There are problems that arise with school, between friends, children may experience loss, or bullying—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These concerns can be difficult for a family to navigate. Perhaps the child is too embarrassed, or unable to tell an adult something is wrong. On the other hand, the child may share their feelings, but the caregiver is unsure if the problems will go way with time or not.
We have wonderful news for children and their parents or caregivers: there are options for help when it comes to their child’s mental health.
Is it common for children to go to therapy?
Mental health is an important part of a child’s overall wellbeing, affecting how they think, feel, and act. Just like adults, children also develop feelings of anxiety or depression, or struggle with low self-esteem or stress. They are under a lot of pressure to perform academically, to maintain friendships and family relationships, to experience loss, and to navigate healthy choices.
A 2016-2019 study by the CDC found the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders for American children (ages three to 17) were ADHD, anxiety, behaviour problems, and depression. That translated to about 6 million children being diagnosed with ADHD, about 5.8 million diagnosed with anxiety, about 5.5 million with behaviour problems, and roughly 2.7 million were diagnosed with depression.
The same study found anxiety, depression and ADHD were more common among children as they got older. Behaviour problems were more prevalent amongst children aged six to 11.
Signs your child may need help with their mental health
As children grow and develop, there will be some bumps in the road, making it hard for parents to identify signs of mental illness.
To understand mental illness, we must first understand mental health. The Mayo Clinic defines mental health as the overall wellness of how you think, regulate your feelings, and behave. A mental health disorder in children occurs when there is a disruption in the development of age-appropriate thinking, feeling or behaving. This disruption may impact an individual’s, in this case a child’s, ability to live their life.
Here are some signs that it may be time to talk about mental health with your child:
Sudden or severe mood or personality changes, including regressions
Changes in their eating or sleeping habits
Social isolation
Extreme and unusual feelings of sadness, irritability or anxiety
Picking their skin or hair, or other destructive, harmful behaviours
Complaining about headaches or stomachaches, particularly when associated with going to school or social events
Life changes, stressful events, or loss
Talking about suicide, or harming others
If left untreated, mental health conditions can cause long-term problems that impact the wellbeing of a child. If you recognize any of the signs above, we recommend talking to your healthcare provider.
What does therapy look like for children?
It may be upsetting for parents to learn their child needs more help than they can provide. But, just as you would with a medical problem, the key is finding the solution. In the case of mental health struggles, the solution may be finding the right psychologist and treatment for your child and your family.
Often, parents or caregivers are referred to a particular psychologist by their healthcare provider. However, we recommend doing a bit of research into the potential psychologist by booking a brief consultation call to get a feel for the practitioner, their experience, and their approach to your child’s mental health concerns. We’ve listed some common types of therapy used with children and teens below:
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT): During this type of therapy, children learn to recognize and understand their thought patterns, and learn to modify those patterns to create healthier thinking and behaviours. CBT can be helpful for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, and many other mental health issues.
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT): This type of therapy is focused on the child or teen learning to take accountability for their challenges, as well as learning how to deal with negative feelings and stressful situations.
Exposure response and prevention (ERP): This is a form of CBT that gradually exposes children to thoughts, experiences, objects and situations that may trigger fear and anxiety. It’s frequently used with children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Family therapy: This aptly named therapy involves the whole family and helps psychologists learn more about the child through other family members, as well as helps family members learn how to support the child’s treatment.
Play therapy: During play therapy, a therapist will use playtime to observe and gain insight into the challenges a kid may be struggling with. This type of therapy is often used because the child may be unable to articulate their feelings to their parents or the practitioner.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): This form of therapy supports children as the learn to accept that their deep feelings (like avoidance or denial) may be appropriate responses to certain stressors and not things that need to be fixed or managed.
Frequently, a psychologist will suggest implementing present moment awareness techniques to use in conjunction with the above-mentioned therapies. These techniques—like mindfulness, deep breathing and meditation—may help children learn to regulate emotions and navigate stressful events.
How to support your child as they explore and process their emotions
As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to support the child so they make the most of their therapy sessions. The first step is to find a licensed psychologist who is a good fit for your child and your family, and ensure your child makes it to their appointments. Often caregivers will meet with the therapist, to ensure the support the child gets at home maximizes the chance of success.
Outside of that, parents are encouraged to spend time with their children doing activities that make the child feel uplifted. Most importantly, show the child love and patience so they feel safe and understood within their family.
If your child is struggling with their mental health, don’t be afraid to advocate on their behalf. To find a licensed psychologist to help with your kid’s unique needs, visit AskForHelpToday.ca.