How important is a child’s mental health?
Recent data released by the National Health Commission shows that there are at least 30 million children and teenagers under the age of 17 with various psychological problems.
Specifically, 13% of elementary school students have psychological or behavioral issues, 15% of middle school students, 19% of high school students, and this proportion is even higher among college students, reaching 25%. These data indicate that the mental health issues of children cannot be ignored, and parents need to take them seriously. Especially during the summer vacation, parents need to pay even more attention to their children’s physical and mental health.
I. How important is mental health?
Every parent hopes for their child to grow up healthy. We can quickly notice physical discomfort in children, such as malnutrition or a cold, but often overlook their psychological issues. Some parents do not understand why there are so many mental issues in children nowadays and feel that they are very fragile.
Some parents think this is because children are being spoiled. They believe that living conditions were worse in the past, but they did not experience depression or suicidal thoughts themselves. Indeed, most children in the past grew up in relatively harsh environments.
However, with social development, people’s psychological needs are also changing. In the past, people mainly pursued physiological and safety needs, but now they seek a sense of belonging and respect.
Parents who grew up in difficult environments may not have learned psychological knowledge and skills such as self-acceptance, empathy, perspective-taking, and emotional management.
The psychological needs of this generation of children have increased, but many parents have not realized this. With rapid social development and the aging of children, they will encounter more problems and stress. This may lead to more psychological and behavioral issues such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, truancy, internet addiction, and even suicide and self-harm.
Therefore, we must recognize that a child’s healthy growth includes not only physical health but also mental health. Only by ensuring a child’s mental health can their growth truly be healthy.
II. What signs indicate that a child has emotional issues?
When children have psychological issues, they show some obvious signs, which may involve emotional, behavioral, or physiological changes. Parents need to pay special attention to and address them promptly. Here are some warning signs that a child may have psychological issues:
1. Physiological changes
If a child suddenly loses their appetite or vomits after overeating, experiences insomnia, hormonal imbalances, and other conditions, these could be signs of psychological issues.
2. Emotional changes
If a child who was originally cheerful becomes emotionally down, especially if this mood persists, parents should pay special attention.
3. Behavioral changes
For example, if a child was enthusiastic about something before but now seems disinterested, makes frequent mistakes, this could also be a sign of psychological issues.
4. Academic changes
If a child’s grades continue to decline, or the teacher reports that the child is inattentive in class, this could also be a sign of psychological issues.
5. Changes in interpersonal relationships
Parents should observe if their child has friends. If a child is isolated or bullied at school, or lacks friends to confide in, minor troubles may not be resolved, leading to prolonged negative emotions.
There are even more serious signs that parents should be particularly alert to, such as self-harm, suicidal thoughts, becoming silent, overly sensitive or fragile, impulsive and prone to fights, truancy, extreme fear of exams, frequent illness, or low self-esteem.
If a child shows these blatant signs, their mental state may already be very serious. In this case, parents should immediately accompany their child to a specialized children’s hospital for consultation.
Reminder
Today, many parents focus excessively on their children’s education and physical health while neglecting their mental health. This results in children frequently experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental issues.
If these issues are not identified and resolved promptly, they can have serious impacts on a child’s learning and social interactions, even continuing into adulthood. Early intervention yields better results.
