Mental Health In Children
Here’s the transcript :
. Hello everyone, and welcome to podcasts by Dr. dad. This is your host, Dr. Gaurav Nigam, and today. We are going to discuss something very important. We're going to talk about child mental health, understanding and supporting it and the new answers around that. Don't worry, I promise this ride will be as smooth as a toddler on a sugar high, just hopefully without a crash. The importance of child mental health. First things first, okay let's talk about why child mental health is as important as choosing the right uh bedtime story. uh Did you know that the foundations for emotional wellbeing are laid down in the early years of child's life? Research shows that um almost up to 50% of mental health issues manifest by the age of 14 years. Research showed that a 50% of mental health issues manifest by the age of 14 years old. That's right, before they can even fully grasp the concept of algebra, their mental health could be setting the stage for the rest of their lives. I actually came across a lot of research papers and I narrowed it down to some of the red flags to watch out for, because this is where, as parents as caregivers, we need to be really vigilant. Now, I'm sure you were just wondering, what should I be on a lookout for, you know? Because that's really what is important here, right? I'm glad that we are all are thinking in this way, and here are few red flags that might suggest your little one is struggling with their mental health. persistent sadness number one of course, I mean it is kind of obvious. If your child seems as gloomy as uh like if your child seems really gloomy, like almost all the time for more than two weeks, it might be a time to check in. Of course, there are moments when your child will feel gloomy and that's all part of a healthy motion, but if it is on a very persistent basis, that's something you need to look into. There's another a red flag as changes in appetite suddenly eating everything in sight or refusing their favorite mac and cheese can indicate emotional distress. I'm talking about both the things. Either they just suddenly start eating everything without the fuss, whereas earlier they were doing that, and also if they are just refusing to eat anything that was their favorite. In both cases, you need to be a little more vigilant. sleep disturbances, insomnia or sleeping more than a sloth can be a sign that some things up. withdrawal from activities, if your social butterflies suddenly turns into a wallflower, it's worth a conversation. and of course, outbursts and milddowns, occasional tantrums are normal. yes, very much normal, but if you know they are happening more often than you can actually anticipate or then it might be a red flag. Now, remember, folks, it's not about one of incidents, but patterns overtime. It cannot be like narrowed it down to an isolate event, but if it is a habitual thing that's happening. So keep an eye out and trust your parental instincts. It's very important here. uh Now let's switch gears a little and talk about the fun part, how to keep those young minds healthy and happy. Now here are some of the tips that I narrowed down for you open communication comes as first in this. Create an environment where kids feel absolutely safe to express their emotions. You know, you can try to asking like, how are you feeling today and be ready to listen without judgment. Now here's a little something that I do personally. I tell my daughter about my day first, like this is what I did this is where I picked up my coffee from that is how I went to see my patients uh so many patients were there. I tell her something specific about it then maybe what I had for lunch. uh a little something about a conversation with a friend or something. So you know, she feels
