Mental health is a massive problem in today's world, especially for children who have debilitating diseases. But don't worry because there are certain steps you can take as a parent to help your child through any tough time.
Luckily for you, I've put together this list to help you help your little one with their struggle. Please read on as I go over ten ways to protect your child's mental health.
1. Know the Stats
First, it's best to know the stats behind your child and what many other children will experience during tough times. Nearly five million children are diagnosed with a mental illness yearly.
This staggering statistic means that a mental episode can happen to anyone in the world, even your child, so always pay attention.
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2. Manage Pain Immediately
Painful episodes will only lead to anxiety and depression because children won't know when the next flare-up will happen. Manage painful episodes immediately with either medication or natural home remedies, depending on the severity of the pain.
3. Make Contingency Plans
Sometimes your children won't be able to participate in certain activities because of the pain flare-ups, which can be isolating and traumatizing. In times like this, always try to give them a backup plan, like card games or lower-impact sports.
Once the flare-up subsides, they can return to their intense activity, knowing there are contingencies.
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4. Monitor Sleeping Habits
Sleep is often the first thing to go when your child has painful episodes with their illness. Unfortunately, since sleep is so essential to humans, your child is much more likely to develop a mental illness if they are sleep deprived.
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Set strict bedtimes and be by their side when they have night flare-ups to avoid losing too many Zs.
5. Look Out For Weight Gain
Weight gain is another factor that leads to mental health breakdown because it impacts kids' physical and social health. For this reason, you must try to keep your child active even if they have pain or discomfort.
Of course, don't push them too hard, but involve them in slow-paced activities and look out for comfort-eating.
6. Always Have an Open Door
Your child will always ask questions about their situation, leading to tough but crucial conversations. It is your job to ensure they have someone to talk to and guide them through their situation.
Sometimes, all it takes is informing your child of what to expect. Other times, they’ll need a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear.
7. Plan Out Easy Activities
Kids often have too much on their minds to participate in many complex activities, light varsity level sports, or high stake mental competitions. By no means should you discourage them from trying to participate, but always have a more manageable option just in case it gets too much.
Taking time off from mentally and physically taxing pastimes is frequently the only choice during a mental illness episode.
8. Get Help When Needed
When all else fails, never be too proud to seek help from a mental health professional. Pediatric psychiatrists worldwide are trained to lighten the load for parents and children.
They can give your child another listening ear and provide the insight you may not have known that will get them over the hump.
9. Limit Their Alone Time
Alone time can be detrimental to a child's mental health when they are going through serious episodes. Naturally, they will want to be alone so they can go through emotions bubbling up inside them.
But it's perfectly fine to offer your company after a specific amount of time has passed, so they know they are not by themselves. Your presence is often needed during travel to and from school or events because travel can be the most isolating thing in the world.
10. Ensure Everyone Around Them is Informed
While you may be well-versed in everything happening with your children, teachers, principals, and other children don't know what is happening or how to deal with it.
Going to their school to inform the staff about your child's current predicament is a necessary step so the proper resources can be available for your little one.
