Changes in moods are a daily matter in a child's life and many parents have difficulty understanding whether it is a momentary change or perhaps the child is in continuous distress and needs professional help. We are here to sort you out.
"Yahli (pseudonym) entered the emotional treatment room with her mother at the treatment center of Nitzan Haifa when she was very withdrawn and barely uttered a word," one of the social workers at the treatment center of Nitzan Haifa tells us. "I suggested that she look at the big game cabinet and choose one game that she felt like playing, she didn't want to play anything and her mother pointed out that it was very unsuitable for her, usually she really likes to play."
Children go through different and varied emotional periods throughout their teenage years, behavioral changes are a normal and normal matter and many parents can say "I no longer recognize my child".
When is the line crossed between "just" a mood passing through the child and a continuous distress that requires the contact and help of a professional? The professional staff of the Nitzan Haifa Therapy Center has prepared for you a list of some signs that you should pay attention to and can indicate that the child may need emotional therapy.
In general, before we look at the child, we will turn the spotlight on our behavior, the parents, and ask ourselves some questions: do we have unreasonable expectations of the child or are we more angry with him recently? Is there a negative atmosphere at home, or a bad dynamic between the parents? Do we repeat over and over questions that hurt the child and he feels that he is disappointing us? For example if he has social difficulties and we constantly ask why he doesn't bring friends home.
It is important to remember that the child's form of expression is through actions and not words, therefore our attention should be on the behavioral changes that apply to him.
Does the child prefer to withdraw more recently?
One of the first questions we need to ask ourselves is whether there has been a radical change in the child's behavior in relation to himself, whether he prefers to stay longer in his room, whether he will always prefer to be alone and not in the common space of the house and even express anger or rage when you enter his room.
Does the child avoid social activities?
Has he recently refused to go to school or the classes he was a part of, has he cut off contact with his close friends and avoided meeting them after school hours.
You notice multiple fits of anger or rage
Many children will experience outbursts of anger throughout their teenage years due to the exploding hormones and the difficulty in regulating their emotions, so it is important to pay attention to whether there has been a radical change in the child's routine and he tends to express his emotions with more extreme intensity and more frequently than usual.
The child often complains of physical pain
Recently the boy started complaining about physical pain, he was examined by a doctor and it was found that there is no clinical finding for his complaints. For example repeated headaches, stomachaches or legaches.
It's bedtime.
You start to notice that it takes the child longer to fall asleep at night or on the contrary, he sleeps a lot illogically.
Does he eat as usual?
One of the other signs of mental distress is a decrease in appetite. It is important to pay attention and compare the child's eating habits in relation to himself and over a period of time.
It is very important to note that all these signs can vary from child to child and if you, the parents, have any doubts about your children's coping or you have recognized some of the signs in their behavior, you are welcome to contact us, talk and consult free of charge and we will know how to direct you or adjust the right treatment for you and your children. At Nitzan Haifa's therapeutic center we believe in the importance of the compatibility between the therapist and the child and the parents and the connection between them. We place the emphasis on the process of building trust and use a wide and professional toolbox to break the negative dynamics between the parents and the child, help the parents find effective ways to deal with the child's behavior and above all give validation to his feelings.
And back to the story of Yahli (pseudonym) that we mentioned at the beginning. After the therapist convinced her to go and play with her and her mother in the game, they were able to observe and study her behavior. She played her experience in the world. Just staying together and Yali's shared experience with her mother was significant and made her not feel alone and face her burden alone. She summed up the emotional treatment by saying: "Finally I feel like I'm being heard."
For a free consultation, please contact us.