10% of children and young people are believed to have a mental health problem. A child’s mental emotional needs may not be as recognizable as identifying child’s physical needs such as food, warm clothes for winter, or getting to sleep.
The following are possible signs that a child may need professional help.
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decline in school performance
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regular worry or anxiety or fear of a variety of things
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hyperactivity
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disobedience or aggression
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frequent tantrums
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inability to cope effectively
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inability to concentrate
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difficulty learning and retaining information
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losing interest in playing
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having no friends or a limited social network
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talks about death and dying
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low self-esteem and low confidence
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difficulty speaking
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accident prone
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hurts himself or hurts others (including animals)
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change in eating pattern and weight
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drinks alcohol or uses drugs
