We can also recognize mental health issues in children by taking notes of the changes that they display. And this could be changes in their emotions, in their thinking patterns, in their social interactions with their peers, or adults around them in their behaviors, or in their learning, you know, abilities. So, let us look at emotional changes that could happen, you know, that we could be able to observe for some children would not start with they're very nervous, you know, information about children being fearful, we've noticed that children are fearful. Also, we may notice that they're constantly sad and withdrawn and they have poor self control, we notice that they're quite angry, we notice that the child is getting getting consistently angry and you know, being irritable. And if we notice that they're not able to tolerate even the smallest thing that could be, then that is that could be an indication that there is something going on now, and also children could devolve dysfunctional thinking patterns.

And some of the signs that a child is engaging in this thinking patterns is when we notice the best time to blame themselves in something very small and they'll go normally, it's my fault. It's me who did it's mean, who did I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Now, however much you say, No, that's fine. It's okay. It's not your fault.

They're already blaming themselves. If your parents will notice that they're taking blame for their fault for others. No, it is because of me. It's ma'am don't mind it's because of me. I'm sorry, dad. And, you know, that is the taking blame and at times, it's unnecessary.

Now they have to take responsibility, but when we know that they're awfully taking responsibility for things that have gone wrong, then we have to you know, be concerned because it's not their fault. And that could be an indication that could be a sign that there is something that is going on with their mental health. Also, we'll try the children excessively worrying. And everything about them is a big deal. They're blowing up information and functional way of thinking. They start thinking in unusual ways and strange, strange ways that that is a sign of dysfunctional thinking.

Another sign as well could be their social interaction. I've mentioned about isolation before, I've mentioned about withdrawing emotion about anger and aggression, we find that quite aggressive in social situations, or to their siblings or to their peers, then that is a concern. And that is a sign that there's probably something wrong with their mental health, who will find that they're bullying others, bullying others is an indication that this child is struggling. So we have to or something is happening around this child. So we don't have To blame them, we have to bring them closer and really know what is it that is happening? What are they struggling with, because it's not normal to see another person suffer and mainly for children.

So if we see that is happening, that is a sign or symptom that something is not right. Also severe shyness. I have worked with a case where a child aged nine had been abused. There was this unusual shyness. She was very, very shy. And the teachers were on site.

And actually, it was picked on by the teaching assistant because the child was unusually shy. Now breaking into, you know what was in her world and getting to know what was happening took me some time. But yes, we got there. And she managed to get the support that she needed. Let's go to behaviors. Now, children When they're growing, they go through developmental stages.

And as mentioned earlier, they could, you know, they could be going through some form of process where they have to learn to moderate their behavior, manage their behavior, but if we find that they're withdrawing a lot, we'll find that they're avoiding situations and find that this destructive behavior that awfully defiant, they are engaging in repetitive behaviors, worked with a child who was fearful that if she didn't walk in a certain pattern in a bathroom, her mom would die. She loved her mom so much, but for her, it meant that she had to come up with some way of protecting her mom from this external forces. So she used to engage in this patterns of working in the bathroom. And one day one of the children noticed it and reported it to the teacher me is you have not seen this x is doing this every time I've seen her do this all the time.

And wow, you know, she she is she was in getting this repeated behaviors to protect her mom. That is a concept that is OCD. And children have difficulty with problem solving. But others have difficult problem solving because of other underlying factors. So we have to be aware of that, you know, if we see that the child has been solving their problems well, and then all of a sudden, they start struggling, they can't solve their problems. That is a question that is a sign that there is something that needs to be fluid out, you know, and if they're struggling academically, I've mentioned about that before.

If there's an difficulties with their homework, they're not getting their homework done. their attention has been affected. They're not focusing, they're not attentive, then we need to really investigate what is happening before we find that then Paying attention to instructions in at home or at school because even at home parents, you help children with their homework. If you find that they're not attentive, they're not focusing, they're not engaging with their homework, then there is something they're not solving their problems as usual, then there is something you just need to investigate. You have to pick up on this course be able to tune in with this child and investigate why this is happening. All of a sudden, they have not been diagnosed with a learning disabilities or learning difficulties, but it's coming on now.

What is happening, investigate that I have worked with a boy before he was having difficulties completing his homework. He was never completing his homework at all. Now, there were factors as well, you know, that were in the background, but it was raised and we you know, engaged the family. That is when the family mentioned about the fact that This child does not want to do their homework because they have issues with their siblings at home. And then it came up that this child was comparing, you know, himself with the the siblings, and he didn't want to show his weaknesses when we're doing homework together, and this was affecting the child's mental health. So, just to recap, changes that might occur might be with the child's emotions, the thinking patterns, their social interaction, their behaviors or their learning.