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Why Children’s Mental Health Matters

Children will encounter a broad variety of emotions throughout development.A number of common and normal aspects of being alive include experiencing anger, frustration, fear, and worry; however, for many children these emotional/behavioral issues create enough problems with their daily functioning to require special assistance. By identifying potential concerns early and establishing an environment where children feel safe and supported, families provide children with the tools to be confident, resilient and develop effective strategies to cope with future adversity.

Common Mental Health Challenges in Children

Children are all unique and children's emotional challenges can look different from one child to another. Some of these challenges may be short term in nature due to stressful events occurring in their lives. Other times these challenges will need long term support for the child.


Some common concerns with children may include:


  • Anxiety or excessive worry
  • Depression or prolonged sadness
  • Managing difficulties with emotions
  • Behavioral challenge
  • Trauma related Stress
  • Losing a loved one and experiencing grief
  • Social challenges
  • Low self esteem
  • Difficulty focusing and concentrate on work/daily tasks
  • Changes at home/school that create Stress


Recognizing these challenges early allows families to seek guidance and appropriate support when needed.

 

Signs That a Child May Need Additional Support

Children usually show they are emotionally distressed by how they act instead of what they say.Parents and caretakers can look for signs like:


Emotional Changes

  • Sadness a lot of the time
  • Anxiety a lot
  • Anger/ Irritation
  • Quickly changing moods
  • Hopeless feelings


Behavioral Changes

  • Pulling away from family/friends
  • Poor school work
  • Having trouble focusing
  • A lot of anger/frustration
  • Lost interest in things you love to do


Physical Changes

  • Can't sleep
  • Headaches/stomachaches all the time
  • Eats less/eats too much
  • Has low energy
  • Feeling tired


If these concerns continue over time or begin interfering with everyday life, seeking professional guidance may be beneficial.

How Families Can Support Children’s Mental Health

Parents/caregivers are instrumental in supporting positive development and emotional well being in children.


Encourage Open Conversations

Provide a safe environment to talk about their feelings with no fear of criticism or blame.


Build Healthy Routines

Help develop good habits; this includes sleep routines, eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and spending quality time together.


Teach Healthy Coping Skills

Good ways to express and manage your emotions include; drawing, reading, writing/journaling, being outside, practicing mindfulness, creating art etc.


Stay Connected

Having a connection to a trusted adult is helpful when a child feels overwhelmed by a situation.


Reach Out for Professional Support

Professionals (mental health) may be able to do an evaluation, provide therapy/counseling and teach the child other tools to improve their ability to cope emotionally.

 

Mental Health Resources Available in Seattle

Families in Seattle can choose from many different types of organizations and programs to help provide emotional and behavioral health support for their children.


Additionally, the following are some additional ways families can get support:


  • Children's Mental Health Providers
  • Family Counseling Services
  • School Counselors
  • Community Organizations for Health
  • Advocacy Centers for Children
  • Education Programs for Parents
  • Mentoring Programs for Youth
  • Crisis Support Services
  • Wellness Initiatives in Communities


Having this knowledge will assist families to be able to make an informed decision and have access to services that meet their individual family's needs.

Helping Children Build Emotional Resilience

Resilience refers to an individual's capacity to face challenges throughout their lives; continue to develop; and continue to succeed in achieving their goals.


Children will be able to build resilience as they go through family development through the following methods:


1. Developing strong, trustful bonds with family members.

2. Encourage children to solve problems.

3. Promote good friendships.

Developing children emotionally so that they are aware of how emotions affect them.

5. Acknowledge the accomplishments of your child.

6. Building confidence in your child.

7. Providing a stable environment for children to grow in.

8. Modeling healthy behaviors when dealing with stress.

Small, everyday interactions can have a lasting impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing.

 

The Importance of Early Intervention

Addressing the child's emotional needs early on can help them develop positive ways to handle emotional issues before those same emotional challenges escalate into more serious problems and are harder to address. Early support could also be beneficial in helping children to:


  • Improve their ability to self-regulate emotions
  • Develop and maintain confidence
  • Establish and improve relationships with family members, teachers and peers
  • Achieve greater academic success at school
  • Build better communication skills
  • Lessen feelings of stress and anxiety
  • Enjoy an improved quality of life


Seeking support is a proactive step that help children build a strong foundation for lifelong mental wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Children's mental health is connected to how they are able to think, feel, learn, form connections with others, and deal with day-to-day problems.As such, supporting a child's emotional health allows them to achieve their best.

If your child has ongoing emotional/behavioral issues, these issues affect his/her ability to perform in school/work, etc., or he/she experiences extreme distress from these issues; you may want to contact a licensed mental health provider.

Some ways you can provide mental health support include being an empathetic listener, helping develop routine (sleeping, eating, physical activity), promoting positive interpersonal relationships, helping teach methods of managing difficult emotions, and seeking guidance when needed.

Many children will have emotional or behavior issues at some time during their childhood. Early identification and appropriate intervention can help significantly.

There are many different types of mental health professionals, non-profit agencies, educational institutions and family service organizations in Seattle who offer assistance and education to both children and the adults caring for them.

Supporting Every Child’s Emotional Well-Being

Every child has a right to be able to develop through a supportive and nurturing atmosphere where they will have a sense of safety, be heard and receive assistance. We believe by creating greater awareness of the importance of developing young minds, supporting young children’s development by intervening early and providing families with access to trusted community-based resources, families will be empowered to promote resiliency in their young children.