Psychiatric Reporting: Should You Plan an Evaluation for Your Child?
Mental disorders and illnesses can be difficult to identify in children and teenagers. As a result, numerous young individuals experience constant distress and do not receive the benefits of the available treatment options for psychological problems. Therefore, if you suspect that your child might be suffering from this category of disorders, you should think about commissioning an evaluation from an experienced expert. Here are the common signs that indicate your child might require an assessment.
Behavioural Problems
One of the common symptoms for almost every psychiatric disorder is the decreased ability to conduct daily activities normally. In general, most mental illnesses will cause behavioural problems, and these will interfere with daily functioning. Therefore, you should think about consulting a counsellor if you have noticed significant negative changes. For example, children with a disorder might experience a drop in the school grades, and their teachers might complain of absences and tardiness. Also, some children will stop taking care of personal hygiene, and their eating habits might deteriorate. In addition, you should watch out for difficulties in concentration, low energy, poor decision making and general low energy.
Depression
Children and teenagers can experience depression. Therefore, it is important to watch out for signs indicating the presence of this mental illness. In general, young people will feel sad and blue periodically because this is a part of normal human emotions. However, if your child is withdrawn and constantly down, you should think about seeking professional guidance. You should also be vigilant if they are constantly irritable and tearful. You should note that numerous children have undiagnosed depression, and it affects their day-to-day life. If the problem is allowed to fester, it can escalate, increasing the child's risk of substance abuse, reckless behaviour and even suicide.
Rapid Mood Swings
You should look out for rapid mood swings in your child. In general, young people, particularly teenagers, will experience some occasional moodiness because of hormonal fluctuations and life changes. This is normal. However, if you notice rapid and intense shifts in mood, you should not ignore the problem. An upbeat or neutral mood is usually an indicator of emotional stability and good psychological functioning. If the mood is unpredictable, there could be underlying issues such as depression and borderline personality disorder. You should note that mood shifts can also be caused by drug and substance abuse. Therefore, you should watch out for signs which could indicate that your child is using alcohol or other drugs.
Contact a counsellor for more information on psychiatric reporting.