When to Seek Help

How can you tell the difference between challenging behaviors and emotions that are a normal part of growing up and those that are cause for concern? In general, consider seeking help if your child’s behavior persists for a few weeks or longer; causes distress for your child or your family; or interferes with your child’s functioning at school, at home, or with friends. If your child’s behavior is unsafe, or if your child talks about wanting to hurt themselves or someone else, seek help immediately.

Young children may benefit from an evaluation and treatment if they:

Have frequent tantrums or are intensely irritable much of the time
Often talk about fears or worries
Complain about frequent stomachaches or headaches with no known medical cause
Are in constant motion and cannot sit quietly (except when they are watching videos or playing video games)
Sleep too much or too little, have frequent nightmares, or seem sleepy during the day
Are not interested in playing with other children or have difficulty making friends
Struggle academically or have experienced a recent decline in grades
Repeat actions or check things many times out of fear that something bad may happen

Older children and adolescents may benefit from an evaluation and treatment if they:

Have lost interest in things that they used to enjoy
Have low energy
Sleep too much or too little or seem sleepy throughout the day
Are spending more and more time alone and avoid social activities with friends or family
Diet or exercise excessively, or fear gaining weight
Engage in self-harm behaviors (such as cutting or burning their skin)
Smoke, drink, or use drugs
Engage in risky or destructive behavior alone or with friends
Have thoughts of suicide
Have periods of highly elevated energy and activity and require much less sleep than usual
Say that they think someone is trying to control their mind or that they hear things that other people cannot hear
Learn more about warning signs on the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Child and Adolescent Mental Health webpage.

Get Immediate Help

If you, your child, or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You also can text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741) or use the Lifeline Chat on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

First Steps for Parents

If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, you can start by talking with others who frequently interact with your child. For example, ask their teacher about your child’s behavior in school, at daycare, or on the playground.

You can talk with your child’s pediatrician or health care provider and describe the child’s behavior, as well as what you have observed and learned from talking with others. You also can ask the health care provider for a referral to a mental health professional who has experience and expertise in treating children.

Assessing Your Child’s Behavior

An evaluation by a mental health professional can help clarify problems underlying your child’s behavior and provide reassurance or recommendations for the next steps. An evaluation offers an opportunity to learn about your child’s strengths and weaknesses and to determine which interventions might be most helpful.

A comprehensive evaluation of a child’s mental health includes the following:

An interview with the parents to discuss the child’s developmental history, temperament, relationships with friends and family, medical history, interests, abilities, and any prior treatment. It is important for the mental health professional to get a picture of the child’s current situation—for example, a recent change in schools, an illness in the family, or another change that affects the child’s daily life.
Information gathering from the child’s school, such as standardized tests and reports on behavior, capabilities, and difficulties.

If needed, an interview with the child and the mental health professional’s testing and behavioral observations.

Helping children, healing familes.