Social, Emotional and Mental Health - Understanding primary needs:
Children may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, concentration difficulties, fatigue, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive, or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self- harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other reasons why children and young people may have social, emotional, and mental health needs include experience of trauma, adverse childhood experiences, attachment difficulties or disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder.
It should be recognised that behaviour is a form of communication that the child is trying to tell the adult something. Below is just a few examples of Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.
Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school.
Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it's diagnosed later in childhood. Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.
The symptoms of ADHD may improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.
People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Anxiety
Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.
From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.
It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.
There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.
Anxiety in children - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma is an event experienced by a child that evokes fear and is commonly violent, dangerous, or life-threatening.1
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. What is child trauma?.
Also sometimes referred to as adverse childhood experiences or ACEs, there are many different experiences that can lead to trauma. Unfortunately, it is all too common. An estimated 46% of children experience trauma at some point in their young lives.
Childhood Trauma: Understanding the Signs and Getting Help (verywellmind.com)