It’s normal for kids and adults to experience irregularities. Whether it’s due to school pressure, bullying, or other societal pressure, there can be several ups and downs in your kid’s life. And as parents, it’s easy for you to get overwhelmed by their situation. But what are the real indications that signal that your child needs counseling?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost one out of six kids experiences some form of mental disorder or issue, like anxiety, between the ages of 2 and 8. In fact, anxiety and stress have become a common phase of every kid’s life. Therefore, it’s important for you to keep a note of the signs that will indicate your child might need counseling.
Top 6 signs that show your child needs professional help
Read below to explore the top six signs that show your child needs professional help.
Mood Swings
The foremost indication is when your home turns into a daily soap because of your kid’s frequent mood swings. This may be more than just a ‘growth phase.’ Such expressions of extremes of highs and lows may be the red signal you need that tells you your child emotional concerns need to be talked about.
They No Longer Love Their Favorite Activities
When your little singer suddenly abandons his karaoke and stops singing his favorite songs at the home performance, it’s time for you to raise your ears. This is because the loss of interest in something you once loved is one of the primary signs of depression and anxiety. Sit back with your child and discuss it. In some cases, he might need counseling.
Frequent Common Health Concerns
If your child consistently complains about common health issues like headaches, stomach pain, or dizziness without any background illness, he may be suffering from anxiety or stress. After all, kids are experts at finding ideas about skipping school.
Challenges At School
If you hear regular complaints from your kid’s teacher about dropping grades, your kid reading paragraphs like a robot, or trips to the principal’s office regularly, this might be a key sign that your child is suffering from emotional irregularities. While school is challenging for every student, it shouldn’t feel like a battle. In such a situation, counseling may benefit your child in a great way.
Consistent Sadness
Every kid has a bad day; it’s an issue when it turns into almost every day, especially if he or she has been carefree since day one. From constant fights with siblings or friends to difficulty making friends, this could be a sign your child has behavioral issues that must be addressed. This constant irritability and sadness is one of the most common signs of depression in kids.
Self-Harm
This is an extreme and urgent sign that must be considered. If your child constantly talks about huriting himself or expressing ideas of self-harm and has no desire to live anymore, he needs professional attention immediately. Ultimately, better be safe than sorry. In fact, other factors like overthinking, bad relationships with peers, and sleep disturbances are also major red flags for getting your child to benefit from counseling.
