Worried about a child?

Talking about feelings can be difficult for children and young people - they may feel embarrassed, think they will cause worry or upset, or that it might cause trouble. This can make it challenging for parents and professionals to know when they are upset or distressed, so it can help to think about the different signs and symptoms you might notice. Examples of changes you might see include:

Outward behaviour, such as:

falling behind at school or college

refusal to go to school or college

And being more:

aggressive

disruptive

challenging

 

Or inward behaviour, such as being more:

quiet

uncommunicative

anxious

depressed

not mixing with friends                    

not eating

 

When you recognise these signs and symptoms, the best response is to listen, offer reassurance, sign post to any further support, and encourage the use of self-management strategies. Often, these strategies can help reduce distress, but if you feel that the difficulties require specialist care, then it’s important to raise your concerns with their doctor, school staff or social worker, who can advise as to whether specialist support is needed; and if they think CAMHS is the right service to provide this, they will arrange a referral. For more information about referrals click here.