Mental wellness in children can be just as important as physical wellness and there is no better time to be more aware of your mental wellness than Mental Health Month. May has been observed as Mental Health Month since 1949, and during that long history mental health professionals have been educating people on how to take care of their own mental wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of their loved ones.
Mental health of children, particularly of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), can look much different from what you imagine mental health issues to look like in adults. Those who have a child with IDD in their lives can benefit from understanding signs of poor mental health in those children as well as how to support them and get them the help they need.
Signs to Watch For
- Changes in behavior, maybe they aren’t acting like themselves.
- Changes in mood, they seem more frustrated, angry, worried, or sad.
- Major changes in sleeping habits or eating habits.
- Changes in routine, like refusing to participate in nighttime routine like they used to.
- Participating in risky behaviors or doing activities they know could hurt them.
- Have physical symptoms (such as stomach aches) with no medical explanation.
- Increase in bursts of energy, including more tantrums.
How to Talk to Children about Mental Wellness
- Be straightforward, ask them exactly how they are feeling.
- Communicate at a level that that matches their development.
- Have the discussion in a location that they feel safe in.
- Remain neutral in both your response and in your tone.
- Slow down the conversation if they become upset, having patience is important.
- Recognize that their feelings are valid, verbally encourage their expression.
Ways to Support Them
- Get the support of their medical care providers, tell them what concerns you have and ask them to watch out for the signs you are seeing in the home. Our providers are always here to support you.
- Work with mental health providers who know how to support children with IDD.
- Have patience when the child is communicating what they are experiencing and feeling.
- Recognize how the child’s mental health and IDD are or aren’t related to work on a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Model positive coping skills around mental health, your example of how to communicate your feelings is important.
- Know that you and your child are not alone. More and more providers are becoming familiar with ways to help children who need help with both IDD and mental health.
You can learn more about mental wellness in children with IDD from some amazing resources including AACAP, NAMI Wisconsin, and The Arc Racine County.