Do you find your child irritable, displaying a lot of anger and temper tantrums?
Do you notice your child being extremely sensitive towards rejection?
Does your child say things like “nobody likes me”, “I am not good at anything” or “it is all my fault” quite frequently?
Has your child been complaining of frequent stomach aches or headaches, and these complaints do not seem to have a physical or medical cause even after consulting a doctor?

If the answers are yes to some of those questions or you have observed noticeable changes in your child’s energy and interest in daily activities, emotion and behaviour that last 2 weeks or more, it is important to pay more attention and seek help.

Importance of Emotional Health to a Child’s Development

Emotional health plays a central role in children’s cognitive, psychological and mental developments as well as their general health. Good emotional health is important as it helps to strengthen their capacity for relationships, improve educational attainment, promote social inclusion, develop opportunities and improve general health and well-being. Emotional ill health can be a serious problem among children and teenagers and if left untreated during these years, there is evidence that it can become a life-long condition[1] with life-limiting effects. 

Due to our busy and hectic lifestyles, we may unknowingly overlook our children’s emotional needs. Parents who are attuned to their children’s emotions while maintaining safe boundaries and firm limits provide support for healthy emotion regulation in their children and enhance the parent-child relationship. 

It is normal for children to be cranky, feel moody/sad or think negatively. This is all part of growing up. They need to experience a range of feelings to learn how to deal with them. However, if your child is feeling more than just sad or moody, remember to take stock of your child’s emotional health by asking yourself those questions. You know your child best, if you sense something amiss, seek professional help for him/her.

Consult Specialists for Psychological Interventions

The Clinical Intervention Centre (CIC) is a service by Boys’ Town and specializes in working with children and youth in need.

Consisting of a dedicated team of counsellors, behavioural specialists and psychologist, CIC offers clients with psychological interventions through assessments, counselling, psychotherapy, behavioural management, group work and other psychological services.

For more information, please visit www.boystown.org.sg/clinical-intervention-centre/

For further enquiries, please contact [email protected] or 6690 5420

[1] Kim-Cohen, J. Caspi, A. Moffitt, T.E. et al (2003) Prior Juvenile diagnosis in adults with mental disorder’, Archives of general Psychiatry, vol 60, pp709-717. Smith & Rutter (1995)