EBN-Every mother has a great responsibility: taking care of her child. Whether this care is health-related or psychological, the mother must be keen to follow up on her child at all times and notice any change that may occur in her child’s physical health or the appearance of behavior or conduct that indicates that her child is suffering from a psychological problem that requires treatment.
Often, the child may show health symptoms, but the cause is psychological. This is done through several symptoms that should not be hidden from you, because you are the closest to him, such as weight loss, withdrawal, a decline in his academic performance, and other symptoms as follows:
Your child’s academic performance has declined
Start by looking for psychological reasons. If you observe that your child’s intelligence and focus are declining, you should search for psychological factors that the child may be exposed to at home or at school in order to determine the cause of the decline. This is because children are not always of low intelligence, for example. Children’s ability to memorize is naturally high, but a child’s loss of concentration is due to exposure to life stress and problems that must be investigated quickly.
Keep in mind that your child’s academic performance may suffer if they experience bullying at school, for instance, or if they feel scared there. Furthermore, a youngster will lag behind in their studies if they perceive that their family is not interested in them or encouraging them. In addition, certain speech issues, like stuttering, have psychological roots and impact a child’s academic performance. Their psychological suffering is made worse by the fact that the issue itself exposes them to mockery from others.
Change in your child’s sleep pattern
Pay attention to any changes in your child’s sleep pattern and routine . You should be aware of the benefits of early bedtime for children, the dangers of staying up late between the ages of 0 and 18, and the reasons why a child may not be able to get healthy, uninterrupted sleep. This is because nighttime sleep differs from daytime sleep in its importance for a child’s physical and mental development, and growth hormones function most effectively during the night.
If your child struggles to fall asleep, wakes up sobbing from nightmares and frightening dreams, or has sleep issues like teeth grinding and bedwetting, you can expect that they have a psychological issue. These signs point to psychological stressors your child is dealing with, like bullying and harassment at school or emotions of rejection and sibling envy at home. Before taking medication, you should be aware of these symptoms and attempt to alleviate them in accordance with professional guidance.
Loss of enthusiasm and energy
In addition to their general willingness to talk to you and play with their siblings, keep an eye on your child’s activity, enthusiasm, and energy levels to complete tasks like homework and exercise. Children are naturally full of energy and never stop playing, jumping, and spreading joy everywhere. On the other hand, if your child exhibits lethargy or inactivity, it indicates that they are having a psychological issue, which you need to address right away.
Talk to your child and listen to him. Don’t neglect the conversation. You must ensure that he is not suffering from an organic disease such as anemia. Then, you must look for the reasons that have changed the child’s behavior , which may be due to a change in your treatment of him, the use of violence by the father, or his exposure to persecution at school.
Abnormal weight loss or gain
Constantly monitor your child’s weight gain. It’s normal for them to gain weight if they’re healthy and free of any illnesses. However, this gain should be within normal limits. However, if you notice your child losing weight, you should look for psychological reasons for your child’s loss of appetite. A child’s appetite is linked to physical and health factors. There’s something known as anorexia nervosa, which leads to obvious emaciation and wasting in both children and adults.
Expect your child to have a weight problem, not a weight loss problem. You should also anticipate psychological issues behind this phenomenon, just as you would with a child’s thinness. Childhood obesity can have psychological causes. A child who feels marginalized tends to be greedy, as can a jealous child who struggles at school or a spoiled child who spends most of their time inactive.
Tendency to cry and withdraw
Know that your child’s tendency to cry, his constant feeling of sadness, and his withdrawal from public life means that he is suffering from a psychological problem. It is normal for a child to have rosy skin and a face that radiates joy and happiness, but sometimes a child shows signs of sadness and may cry without you knowing the reason. You should expect that he is under psychological pressure, and you must discover the reasons for it.
Stop wondering how to deal with a baby who cries for no reason. Crying should have a reason. It could be because you’re over-punishing and scolding your baby when he sees you as a loving embrace and safe haven. Also, if your baby is exposed to discrimination from his siblings or his father’s lack of interest in him, and if the father focuses all his attention on the newborn, it leads to him lacking a father in his life, which makes him sad and crying all the time.
His inability to communicate with others
Expect your child to have a psychological problem if they are unable to communicate with others, whether in the real world or at school. It’s normal for a child to be able to communicate and converse with their classmates and teachers by the time they start school. Sometimes, however, a child stutters or remains silent. In this case, it’s important to investigate the psychological cause behind this, and cooperation with the teacher is essential in this case.
Stop expecting your child to be polite and shy, because overdoing anything will backfire. Therefore, your child should be a conversationalist and a talkative person. Their lack of communication will prompt you to explore ways to enhance social skills in shy children, rather than simply labeling your child as shy, as this will be exaggerated
Irritability and anger
Expect several reasons for your child’s quick temper, irritability, and tendency to be nervous, as well as other symptoms such as rebellion and stubbornness. These symptoms indicate a psychological problem, not just behavior that needs to be corrected. Rather, a child experiencing these symptoms is trying to hide the psychological problems he is suffering from, and the mother must help him overcome them.
Note that a nervous child may be hiding repressed feelings and may become aggressive. A child who gets angry easily feels unaccepted or deprived. Therefore, any problem or behavior that appears in your child must be investigated for its psychological causes and addressed, whether through you, by communicating with the school social worker, or by communicating with a psychologist outside of the school.
