Mental health is a big issue that affects children and families today. According to the Mental Health Society of Ethiopia, mental health problems are defined as the failure of the mental health function in terms of thought, mood, and behavior that results in imparing one's productive capacity, fulfilling relationship with others, and the ability to adapt to change with adversity. Children whose parents have mental health issues are at risk. While these children can develop appropriately at their own rate, most young children in this situation encounter delays in development. They have a higher risk of not receiving the care and social interaction opportunitites that assist children in their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Additionally, these children have a higher risk for developing mental illnesses than other children (AACAP).
When I worked as a Head Start teacher many years ago, I was concerned about a child in my classroom. I feared that his mother had some mental health challenges. My interactions with her gave me pause in how she might be interacting with the child. Of course, mental health issues can be very difficult to diagnose, so we had no medical proof of mental issues in the family. My observations of the young preschooler provided evidence of some social development delays. As we worked with him on developing relationships with classmates, by modeling and mediating, his social development skills increased.
In Ethopia, despite the fast growth of the problem in the country, many Ethiopians perceive mental disorder as an affliction caused by supernatural forces such as evil spirits. Due to this perception the majority of the people having mental disorders are not getting professional consultations and clinical help. This is unfortunate, with appropriate therapy and help, individuals can be successful in life. I believe in the United States that numerous individuals are left undiagnosed, or do not carry the increased health benefits to obtain proper health care in regards to mental health issues.
I will be addressing this topic in upcoming workshops that I facilitate. There is such an emphasis on social and emotional development in young children, that we, as educators, cannot afford to have blind eyes to this important health issue and how it affects a child's development.
I like what you said about the need to address these issues rather than turn a blind eye. We have one little guy at my school that has been a problem for three years. He has definite mental health issues which recently result in the child being taken to the hospital. He threaten his teacher and other children so he had become a threat to others. As a school, we are at a loss for how best to handle his case. He meets with the guidance counselor and a licensed mental health provider at school on a regular basis and is on a variety of medications. What would your recommendations be?
ReplyDeleteWhat are some of the specifics of this child's behavior? I wonder, have you and the staff utilized the Ages and Stages (ASQ or ASQ-SE) assessment? These could be helpful in gaining some perspective from the family. You might be able to combine the ASQ results with your program observations of the child to then make some assumptions. You might also seek out a mental health consultant in your area for technical assistance and support on next steps.
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