COMMON PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN
Overview
In honor of World Mental Health Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated in 2008, "Let us recognize that there can be no health without mental health." His speech precipitated an appeal by the World Health Organization for countries around the globe to invest in mental health care for citizens. According to WHO, most countries spend less than 2 percent of health care budgets on mental health, yet researchers continue to find evidence that mental and physical health are closely linked.
Brain And Congenital Disorders
A 2007 study of Vietnamese children found that those suffering from long-term physical health problems, such as anemia, birth defects and physical disabilities, were more than twice as likely to have a mental disorder, regardless of socio-economic status. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that this comorbidity is especially profound in the case of physical illness affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy. A Canadian study found that 42 percent of children with developmental delays also had a psychiatric disorder, but concluded that it is unknown "whether the comorbid illnesses share common origins."
PTSD And Physical Health
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD is about twice as common in females as it is in males. A study published in "Pediatrics" journal found that female adolescents suffering from PTSD were at an elevated risk for developing physical health problems, including digestive disorders, circulatory disorders and chronic fatigue. The study also revealed that adolescent girls with PTSD "were nearly twice as likely to have a sexually transmitted infection."
Anxiety/Depression and Asthma
A study of Puerto Rican children between the ages of 4 and 17 demonstrates the link between asthma and anxiety/depressive disorders. The report showed that 11.2 percent of children with asthma had also experienced an anxiety disorder, compared with just 5.6 percent of non-asthmatic children. Asthmatic children were also nearly twice as likely as non-asthmatic children to experience depressive symptoms.
Depression And Obesity
Researchers have long known of a link between depression and obesity; this comorbidity extends to childhood obesity as well. Not surprisingly, obese children report low levels of self-esteem; in a 2003 study, they "rated their quality of life with scores as low as those of young cancer patients on chemotherapy." A University of Maryland School of Medicine study of children found that depression was a significant predictor for obesity at the one-year follow up survey. Researchers cannot yet definitively state whether one condition causes the other.
Possible Causes
The Royal College of Psychiatrists speculates on possible causes of poor mental health among children with physical health problems. They believe that the stress of social problems associated with physical health issues may lead to depression and anxiety disorders. These social issues include dealing with numerous health professionals, missing school, experiencing learning problems, feeling that other children see them as different and vulnerability to bullying.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN SOCIAL OF CHILDREN
Social competence deficits and peer rejection
Many children experience difficulties getting along with peers at some point during their youth. Sometimes these problems are short-lived and for some children the effects of being left out or teased by classmates are transitory. For other children, however, being ignored or rejected by peers may be a lasting problem that has lifelong consequences, such as a dislike for school, poor self-esteem, social withdrawal, and difficulties with adult relationships.
Considerable research has been undertaken to try to understand why some children experience serious and long-lasting difficulties in the area of peer relations. To explore factors leading to peer difficulties, researchers typically employ the sociometric method to identify children who are or are not successful with peers. In this method, children in a classroom or a group are asked to list the children they like most and those whom they like least. Children who receive many positive ("like most") nominations and few negative ("like least") nominations are classified as "popular." Those who receive few positive and few negative nominations are designated "neglected," and those who receive few positive and many negative nominations are classified as "rejected."
Evidence compiled from studies using child interviews, direct observations, and teacher ratings all suggest that popular children exhibit high levels of social competence. They are friendly and cooperative and engage readily in conversation. Peers describe them as helpful, nice, understanding, attractive, and good at games. Popular and socially competent children are able to consider the perspectives of others, can sustain their attention to the play task, and are able to remain self-controlled in situations involving conflict. They are agreeable and have good problem-solving skills. Socially competent children are also sensitive to the nuances of "play etiquette." They enter a group using diplomatic strategies, such as commenting upon the ongoing activity and asking permission to join in. They uphold standards of equity and show good sportsmanship, making them good companions and enjoyable play partners.
Children who have problems making friends, those who are either "neglected" or "rejected" by their peers, often show deficits in social skills. One of the most common reasons for friendship problems is behavior that annoys other children. Children, like adults, do not like behavior that is bossy, self-centered, or disruptive. It is simply not fun to play with someone who does not share or does not follow the rules. Sometimes children who have learning problems or attention problems can have trouble making friends, because they find it hard to understand and follow the rules of games. Children who get angry easily and lose their temper when things do not go their way can also have a hard time getting along with others. Children who are rejected by peers often have difficulties focusing their attention and controlling their behavior. They may show high rates of noncompliance, interference with others, or aggression (teasing or fighting). Peers often describe rejected classmates as disruptive, short-tempered, unattractive, and likely to brag, to start fights, and to get in trouble with the teacher.
Not all aggressive children are rejected by their peers. Children are particularly likely to become rejected if they show a wide range of conduct problems, including disruptive, hyperactive, and disagreeable behaviors in addition to physical aggression. Socially competent children who are aggressive tend to use aggression in a way that is accepted by peers (e.g., fighting back when provoked), whereas the aggressive acts of rejected children include tantrums , verbal insults, cheating, or tattling. In addition, aggressive children are more likely to be rejected if they are hyperactive, immature, and lacking in positive social skills.
Children can also have friendship problems because they are very shy and feel uncomfortable and unsure of themselves around others. Sometimes children are ignored or teased by classmates because there is something "different" about them that sets them apart from other children. When children are shy in the classroom and ignored by children, becoming classified as "neglected," it does not necessarily indicate deficits in social competence. Many neglected children have friendships outside the classroom setting, and their neglected status is simply a reflection of their quiet attitude and low profile in the classroom.
Developmentally, peer neglect is not a very stable classification, and many neglected children develop more confidence as they move into classrooms with more familiar or more compatible peers. However, some shy children are highly anxious socially and uncomfortable around peers in many situations. Shy, passive children who are actively disliked and rejected by classmates often become teased and victimized. These children often do have deficits in core areas of social competence that have a negative impact on their social development. For example, many are emotionally dependent on adults and immature in their social behavior. They may be inattentive, moody, depressed, or emotionally volatile, making it difficult for them to sustain positive play interactions with others.
The long-term consequences of sustained peer rejection can be quite serious. Often, deficits in social competence and peer rejection coincide with other emotional and behavioral problems, including attention deficits, aggression, and depression. The importance of social competence and satisfying social relations is life-long. Studies of adults have revealed that friendship is a critical source of social support that protects against the negative effects of life stress. People with few friends are at elevated risk for depression and anxiety.
Childhood peer rejection predicts a variety of difficulties in later life, including school problems, mental health disorders, and antisocial behavior . In fact, in one study, peer rejection proved to be a more sensitive predictor of later mental health problems than school records, achievement, intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, or teacher ratings.
It appears, then, that positive peer relations play an important role in supporting the process of healthy social and emotional development. Problematic peer relations are associated with both present and future maladjustment of children and warrant serious attention from parents and professionals working with children. When assessing the possible factors contributing to a child's social difficulties and when planning remedial interventions, it is important to understand developmental processes associated with social competence and peer relations.
Common problems
Many children who are rejected by peers have lower self-esteem, feel lonelier, and are more dissatisfied with their social situations than are average or popular children. These feelings can cause them to give up and avoid social situations, which can in turn exacerbate their peer problems. Interestingly, not all rejected children feel badly about their social difficulties. Studies have shown that aggressive-rejected children, who tend to blame outside factors for their peer problems, are less likely to express distress than withdrawn-rejected children, who often attribute their problems to themselves.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN MORAL OF CHILDREN
Common problems
Religious development often goes hand in hand with moral development. Children's concepts of divinity, right and wrong, and who is ultimately responsible for the world's woes are shaped by the family and by the religious social group to which each child belongs. Their concepts also mirror cognitive and moral developmental stages.
In general, in the earliest stage (up to age two years), the child knows that religious objects and books are to be respected. The concept of a divine being is vague, but the child enjoys the regularity of the religious rituals such as prayer.
In the next stage (from two to 10 years), children begin to orient religion concepts to themselves as in the catechism litany, "Who made you? God made me." The concept of a divine being is usually described in anthropomorphic ways for children around six years old. In other words, children perceive God to look like a human being only bigger or living in the sky. At this stage, God is physically powerful and often is portrayed as a superhero. God may also be the wish-granter and can fix anything. Children embrace religious holidays and rituals during this stage.
In the Intermediate Stage during pre-adolescence, children are considered to be in the pre-religious stage. The anthropomorphized divinity is pictured as being very old and wise. God is also thought of as doing supernatural things: having a halo, floating over the world, or performing miracles. Children in this stage understand the panoply of religious or divine beings within the religious belief system. For example, Christian children will distinguish between God and Jesus and the disciples or saints.
The last stage in adolescence focuses on personalizing religious rituals and drawing closer to a divine being. Teenagers begin to think of God in abstract terms and look at the mystical side of the religious experience. They may also rebel against organized religion as they begin to question the world and the rules around them.
Some adults who are considered highly religious consider God to be an anthropomorphized divine being or may reject the supernatural or mystical religious experience. This does not mean that these adults have somehow been arrested in their religious development. This just means that the variation among these stages is great and is determined by the particular religious community in which the individual is involved.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN INTELLECT OF CHILDREN
Cognitive impairment is the general loss or lack of development of cognitive abilities, particularly autism and learning disabilities. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) describes learning disabilities as a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways, such as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write or to do math. A child who has a learning disability may have other conditions, such as hearing problems or serious emotional disturbance. However, learning disabilities are not caused by these conditions, nor are they caused by environmental influences such as cultural differences or inappropriate instruction.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN EMOTIONAL OF CHILDREN
Emotional problems in children have become more widely recognized. A child's emotional problem can become a chronic problem if it's not attended to properly and in a timely manner. Many adult emotional problems can also affect children, but these problems may not be as easily recognized in children. Some emotional problems in children can be treated quite easily, but some require long-term care that can be complicated.
Childhood Bipolar Disorder
1. Childhood bipolar disorder is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem can be hard to diagnose, because its symptoms are also symptoms of many other childhood emotional problems. Common symptoms include mood swings, irritability, episodes of extreme happiness and episodes of severe depression. Childhood bipolar disorder is a serious condition and should be treated as such. Treatment most often includes a combination of medication (sometimes more than one) and behavior therapy (teaching the child how to handle certain situations better).
Childhood Depression
2. Childhood depression is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is considered serious, but it can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are not unique. Common symptoms include irritability, fatigue, hopelessness, social withdrawal and poor performance in school. Childhood depression is most often treated with medication and behavior therapy.
Autism
3. Autism is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is often serious and consists of three distinctive behaviors. These autism behaviors include trouble interacting socially, obsessive and competitive behavior and difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication. Medications (often more than one) and behavioral and educational therapies and interventions are used to treat autism. Family counseling is also used to help families learn about autistic children and to help them cope.
Childhood Schizophrenia
4. Childhood schizophrenia is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional disorder often affects a child's ability to develop normal social, educational and emotional skills and habits. Children with emotional disorder often have difficulty performing daily tasks, think and act irrationally and have delusions and hallucinations. Childhood schizophrenia is most often treated with a variety of treatments including medications (most often antipsychotics) and psychotherapy (teaches the child to cope with the illness and its challenges).
Tourette Syndrome
5. Tourette syndrome is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional problem is also considered a neurological disorder. Tourette syndrome is characterized by stereotyped and repetitive vocalizations and involuntary movements referred to as tics. Tourette syndrome is most often treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
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