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Problem child or a child with problems?
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Posted on Mar 07 2022
“Some kids are just naughty.” People say this either with a shrug of the shoulders and a little laugh or with jaws clenched and nostrils flaring.
Kids go through phases. Toddlers go through terrible twos. Big kids experience first crushes and heartbreaks. Teens and young adults battle with finding their identities while learning to be independent. We can all understand that these phases can take a toll on a kid.
Between the ups and downs, the whirlwind of emotions, and the chaos of it all, how can we tell whether we have a problem child or a child with problems? When do we stop thinking kids are just acting up and when do we start asking if they need help?
According to Mental Health America, “children’s mental health problems are real, common, and treatable. Although one in five children has a diagnosable mental health problem, nearly two-thirds of them get little or no help.”
The following signs may indicate the need for professional help:
• Decline in school performance
• Poor grades despite strong efforts
• Constant worry or anxiety
Repeated refusal to go to school or to take part in normal activities
Hyperactivity or fidgeting
• Persistent nightmares
• Persistent disobedience or aggression
• Frequent temper tantrums
• Depression, sadness or irritability
(From: Mental Health America, https://www.mhanational.org/recognizing-mental-health-problems-children)
Whether a child is acting up because of a phase they’re going through or reaching out for help for a deeper issue, remember to be patient and kind. We’ve all been there. They are, after all, just kids.
If you feel that you or someone you know has been discriminated against because of a mental illness, please contact the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness, or PAIMI, program at the Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems, Inc. at 670-235-7273/4 or visit us on the web at www.nmpasi.org, www.facebook.com/NMPASI, and follow us on Instagram @nmpasi670.
SHARLEEN SABLAN (Special to the Saipan Tribune)
Sharleen Sablan is a project specialist at the Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc.
