Common Mental Disorders In Children

By Author: Oliva shukria
Total Articles: 14
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Just like adults, children can also develop mental health conditions. However, the symptoms of these conditions in children are different than those in adults. Because of these reasons, it is hard for parents to identify them.

Mental disorders in children are generally identified as delays or disruptions in age-related thinking, social behaviors, social skills and regulation of emotions.
As a parent, if you’re observing any such symptom in your child then you must consult any expert that offers autism services in Dubai. It is important that you take your child to a specialist in time because the number of ASD cases in Emirati children is increasing rapidly and any delay in the diagnosis or treatment can jeopardize your little one’s future. 
Most Common Mental Disorders in Children:
According to a study, one in every five children between the age of 13 to 18, can suffer from serious mental illness. And only 50% of these children receive proper treatment and those who are left untreated have a higher expectancy to suffer from severe mental conditions.

Although there are many mental disorders that children may develop, some of the most common ones are:
Anxiety Disorder:
Issues such as persistent fears, worries or strong dependency on adults are symptoms of anxiety disorder. Because of this issue, children are unable to participate in their day to day activities such as plays, sports etc.
Depression:
Depression is another common disorder that most of the children and adolescents suffer from. As per a report, 10-15% of children experience depression before reaching adulthood.
ADHD:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that can affect children’s attention, focus and can cause impulsive behavior and episodes of hyperactivity. Children suffering from ADHD have difficulty concentrating unlike other children of their age.    
ASD:
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that affects the development of social skills, communication and behavior in children. ASD develops in children before the age of 3 and its severity can vary from child to child. Generally, autistic children have difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Moreover, these children also show repetitive behaviors.
Eating Disorder:
It is a mental disease in which the patient develops a preoccupation with eating. They strive to achieve the perfect body shape and are overwhelmed with losing weight and develop unsafe eating habits. Conditions such as anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating are all forms of the eating disorder.
Factors Causing Mental Disorders in Children:
Many factors contribute towards a child developing mental illness and some of them are:
Biological Factors:
The neurotransmitters in a child’s brain are dependent on their biological makeup. If a child has an imbalanced level of neurotransmitters in their brain, they will develop mental disorders. High serotonin levels in the brain are another factor for causing mental illness.
Environmental Stress:
The environment in which a child grows plays a significant role in the development of their mental state. Therefore, if a child is exposed to traumatic events or abuse in their early childhood, they may develop mental disorders.
Psychological Factors:
Conditions such as low self-esteem, poor body image, and a bad perception of oneself can lead to the development of the mental disorder in children. If these psychological factors are left untreated, they can cause severe damage to the child’s personality.  
Brain Injuries:
If a child suffering from brain injury in their childhood, they’re more prone to develop mental disorders. Brain injuries resulting from an accident, trauma, or abuse can hinder the proper brain and mental state’s development in children.

As stated above, you need to take your child to a psychiatrist in Dubai at the earliest if they are displaying any of the symptoms discussed above.