Khaberni - The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority has identified six types of common psychological disorders in children, which include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, cognitive and educational delays and severe difficulties, anxiety-related disorders, mood-related disorders, bullying and mistreatment, and eating disorders, indicating that there are transitional stages in a child's development during which parents might notice unexpected behaviors, which requires them to keep informed about child development stages to understand and assess the behaviors they observe.
The authority emphasized that childhood includes many challenges, things to learn, and many changes that need to be dealt with.
Just as with physical health, mental health needs regular care and attention, as ensuring a child’s mental health is important for building strong relationships, adapting to changes, and dealing with life’s ups and downs.
The authority, in the parental guide to supporting their child's health, which it recently issued, explained that mental health is more than just the absence of psychological disorders or disabilities. It is a state of well-being in which an individual can realize their own abilities, deal with life's stresses, work productively, and contribute to their community. Good mental health helps to handle both transitional stages and positive and difficult situations in life, to feel in control, and to seek support when needed.
It detailed that common signs of mental health disorders in children include: forgetting to complete tasks and duties, misplacing important objects, finding difficulty following instructions, showing delays in school subjects, fear of separation from parents and avoidance of public places, avoiding friends, tantrums, persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, isolation, risk-prone behaviors, significant changes in a child's behavior and emotional expression, sudden refusal to go to school, changes in eating habits, and significant weight loss or gain.
It warned that a child's mental health is affected by a complex mix of factors, including the child himself, his family, and his wider community, which may increase the likelihood of mental health issues, pointing out that community risk factors include social and economic inequality, social stigma and discrimination, lack of access to support services, environmental stresses, and lack of a supportive network, while school factors include bullying, social isolation, negative teacher-student relationship, and limited access to support services.
The authority highlighted that family risk factors include disharmony among family members, family disputes (such as divorce, domestic violence), concerns related to mental health and substance abuse, trauma, and social and economic instability. Facing the child himself includes the influence of genetic factors, chronic illnesses or disabilities, drug abuse, low self-esteem, and ineffective coping skills (such as avoidance, aggression).
It emphasized the importance of having the child in an accepting environment, strong social networks, a positive school environment that supports peers and fosters a positive and supportive teacher-student relationship, supports positive parental parenting practices, effective coping skills, and emotional regulation in the child, and combats bullying.
It explained that distinguishing between normal behavioral changes and concerning signs in a child requires regular monitoring of children's development and behavior, by focusing on gradual or sudden transitions, linking physical and mental health, noting how a child's physical health impacts his mental health, monitoring development appropriate to the child's age, and considering how various stresses affect the child, warning that some signs may indicate concerns in mental health that require attention or seeking support.
