Let’s talk children's mental health: signs, symptoms & disorders (Part 1)

As parents, we always want what’s best for our children. Whether it’s hacking into our vacation funds to ensure that the kids are enrolled in their favourite summer club/camp programs, or continuously reading up on parenting tips and tricks for every stage in life, we try to do everything in our power to ensure that our children grow up to be happy and healthy. When it comes to physical health, many of us know a nutritious diet and active lifestyle are key — though implementing those things around your busy schedule can certainly be a struggle! Building your kids’ mental health, on the other hand, can seem more mysterious.

As Children’s Mental Health Week (May 5-11) continues, we asked Dr. Heidi Kiefer, School and Clinical Child Psychologist, to help us fill in the blanks. Today, she’s sharing some mental health disorders children could be affected by between the ages of 0-12.          

Children can develop all of the same mental health difficulties as adults,” Dr. Kiefer says. “In some cases, symptoms may appear somewhat differently in children, though. For example, children who are depressed might show more irritability, whereas adults who are depressed typically show more sadness)."

For those of us who aren’t sure what would be classified as a mental health disorder, I asked Dr. Kiefer to give us a rundown:

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) children can develop the following kinds of disorders:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders


• Anxiety Disorders


• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders


• Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders


• Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders


• Depressive Disorders


• Feeding and Eating Disorders


• Gender Dysphoria

We got into some of the signs, symptoms, and medical definitions of each, starting with the first two on the list:

Neurodevelopmental Disorders are a group of disabilities that typically start early in development, prior to grade school," Dr. Kiefer tells me. "These disorders often co-occur. They happen when developmental deficits impair a child’s personal, social, school, and work functioning."

Examples of Neurodevelopmental Disorders include:

• Global Developmental Delay: diagnosed among children under 5 when they do not meet expected developmental milestones in several areas of intellectual functioning


• Intellectual Disability: deficits in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour


• Communication/Language Disorders: deficits in language, speech, and communication


• Autism Spectrum Disorder: persistent difficulties in social communication and interaction as well as restricted, repetitive patterns for behaviour, interests, or activities


• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with development or functioning


• Specific Learning Disorder: difficulties learning and using academics skills related to reading, spelling, written expression, and/or mathematics


• Developmental Coordination Disorder: problems with the acquisition and execution of coordinated motor skills


• Tic Disorders: sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic motor movements or vocalizations

Meanwhile, Anxiety Disorders involve excessive fear and anxiety and related behavioural disturbances — for example, avoidance and escape behaviours, where children make a concerted effort not to do things or find themselves in situations that cause them anxiety.

Examples of Anxiety Disorders include:

• Separation Anxiety Disorder: fear or anxiety about separation from people the child is attached to


• Selective Mutism: when children consistently do not speak in specific social situations where they are expected to, and despite the child speaking in other situations


• Specific Phobia: marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation


• Social Anxiety Disorder: fear or anxiety about one or more social situations, such as social interactions, being observed, and performing in front of others


• Panic Disorder/Panic Attack: recurrent, unexpected panic attacks


• Agoraphobia: marked fear of or anxiety about being outside the home, in enclosed or open spaces, using public transportation, standing in line, or being in a crowd


• General Anxiety Disorder: excessive worry and anxiety about a number of events or activities

Just like adults, each child’s mental health is unique. If your child shows some of these signs, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a disorder; and, conversely, they could have mental health needs if they don’t show these textbook signs. Most importantly, there is nothing “wrong” with children experiencing these disorders or their symptoms. By sharing these lists, we want to help break the stigma against mental health disorders in our communities. We believe parents and educators should be encouraged to talk openly with their kids about mental health, and to speak up about their concerns and seek support from licensed health care professionals when they need it.

These aren’t conversations we can afford to have just during Children’s Mental Health Week; to build our kids a strong start for a great future, mental health needs to be part of our everyday lives.

To learn more about the other mental health disorders on Dr. Kiefer’s list, stay tuned for the next post in our series.

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About Dr. Heidi Kiefer Ph.D., C. Psych.

Dr. Heidi Kiefer, Ph.D., C. Psych., is a clinical child and adolescent psychologist. At Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital of Toronto, she primarily works within the Child Development Program. Her focus is developmental assessments with children under 5 years of age to explore queries related to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, and other delays. Dr. Kiefer also works in private practice within Toronto and Oshawa, where she engages in individual and family therapy, parent counselling, and consultation services. She is an advocate for reducing the stigma related to mental health and advancing public funding for universal access to mental health services. Knowing how brave children and families are in seeking support, Dr. Kiefer is mindful of using creative and empathic practices to build rapport, understand experiences, and help them feel that they are not alone. To stay up to date with Dr. Kiefer or to connect with her, please follow her on Twitter.