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A few questions answer, that must you get
in your mind about Mentally Retarded Children.
Q. How do I know if my child’s problems are serious?
A. Not every problem is serious. In fact,
many everyday stresses can cause
changes in your child’s behavior. For
example, the birth of a sibling may
cause a child to temporarily act much
younger than he or she is. It is impor
tant to be able to tell the difference
between typical behavior changes and
those associated with more serious
problems. Pay special attention to
behaviors that include:
Problems across a variety of settings,
such as at school, at home, or with
peers
Changes in appetite or sleep
Social withdrawal, or fearful behavior
toward things your child normally is not
afraid of Returning to behaviors more common
in younger children, such as bed-
wetting, for a long time
Signs of being upset, such as sadness
or tearfulness
Signs of self-destructive behavior, such
as head-banging, or a tendency to get
hurt often
Repeated thoughts of death.
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Q.- Can symptoms be caused by a death in the family, illness in a parent, family inancial problems, divorce, or other events?
A. Yes. Every member of a family is
affected by tragedy or extreme stress,
even the youngest child. It’s normal for
stress to cause a child to be upset.
Remember this if you see mental, emo
tional, or behavioral symptoms in your
child. If it takes more than one month
for your child to get used to a situation,
or if your child has severe reactions,
talk to your child’s doctor.
Check your child’s response to stress.
Take note if he or she gets better with
time or if professional care is needed.
Stressful events are challenging, but
they give you a chance to teach your
child important ways to cope.
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Q -Will my child get better with time?
A. Some children get better with time. But
other children need ongoing profes
sional help. Talk to your child’s doctor
or specialist about problems that are
severe, continuous, and affect daily
activities. Also, don’t delay seeking
help. Treatment may produce better
results if started early.
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Q.- How do I work with my child’s school?
A. If your child is having problems in
school, or if a teacher raises concerns,
you can work with the school to ind a
solution. You may ask the school to
conduct an evaluation to determine
whether your child qualiies for special
education services. However, not all
children diagnosed with a mental
illness qualify for these services.
Start by speaking with your child’s
teacher, school counselor, school
nurse, or the school’s parent organiza
tion. These professionals can help you
get an evaluation started. Also, each
state has a Parent Training and Infor
mation Center and a Protection and
Advocacy Agency that can help you
request the evaluation. The evaluation
must be conducted by a team of pro
fessionals who assess all areas related
to the suspected disability using a
variety of tools and measures.
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Q. What else can I do to help my child?
A. Children with mental illness need guid
ance and understanding from their par
ents and teachers. This support can
help your child achieve his or her full
potential and succeed in school. Before
a child is diagnosed, frustration, blame,
and anger may have built up within a
family. Parents and children may need
special help to undo these unhealthy
interaction patterns. Mental health pro
fessionals can counsel the child and
family to help everyone develop new
skills, attitudes, and ways of relating to
each other.
Parents can also help by taking part
in parenting skills training. This helps
parents learn how to handle dificult
situations and behaviors. Training
encourages parents to share a pleasant
or relaxing activity with their child, to
notice and point out what their child
does well, and to praise their child’s
strengths and abilities. Parents may
also learn to arrange family situations
in more positive ways. Also, parents
may beneit from learning stress-
management techniques to help them
deal with frustration and respond
calmly to their child’s behavior.
Sometimes, the whole family may need
counseling. Therapists can help family
members ind better ways to handle
disruptive behaviors and encourage
behavior changes. Finally, support
groups help parents and families con
nect with others who have similar prob
lems and concerns. Groups often meet
regularly to share frustrations and suc
cesses, to exchange information about
recommended specialists and strate
gies, and to talk with experts.
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Q. Where can I go for help?
A. If you are unsure where to go for help,
ask your family doctor. Others who can
help are listed below.
Mental health specialists, such as psy
chiatrists, psychologists, social work
ers, or mental health counselors
Health maintenance organizations
Community mental health centers
Hospital psychiatry departments and
outpatient clinics
Mental health programs at universities
or medical schools
State hospital outpatient clinics
Family services, social agencies,
or clergy Peer support groups
Private clinics and facilities
Employee assistance programs
Local medical and/or psychiatric
societies.
You can also check the phone book
under “mental health,” “health,” “social
services,” “hotlines,” or “physicians”
for phone numbers and addresses. An
emergency room doctor can also pro
vide temporary help and can tell you
where and how to get further help.
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