CT Parenting | Mental Health

Mental Health

Today's Topic: Are my child’s problems caused by something I did?

Mental health, also known as emotional or behavioral health is a vital part of your child’s overall health and development. It is just as important to a child’s well-being as physical health. Many children and adults experience mental health issues from time to time. These mental health issues include feeling overwhelmed by certain circumstances, feeling sad as a result of being hurt by others, or experiencing a loss, or feeling anxious or stressed about events or things in your life. However, for some, these normal stresses can sometimes be overwhelming and result in the child not being able to function in their day to day life.

If your child has the flu or needs to have a cavity in his tooth filled, parents usually know what to do and where to turn for help. Seeking help from a mental health provider is not always as easy and can be scary for parents who are dealing with these issues for the first time. It is a good idea not to worry alone and seek help from your child’s pediatrician. Like other health problems your child may face, many mental health problems can be improved or resolved fairly quickly with the right treatment. It is important to get treatment for your child when problems first happen to help stop them from getting more serious.

To help parents and caregivers understand and navigate the sometimes confusing world of children’s mental health, the Connecticut Center for Effective Practice (CCEP) of the Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) of Connecticut has developed a website, www.kidsmentalhealthinfo.com.

For the month of September 2012, CTParenting devotes its monthly theme to children's mental health and thanks our partners at CHDI for their expertise and generous sharing of the information offered on this page and on DCF's Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the month.
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September 3