Parenting is the ultimate challenge, but it comes with the rewarding responsibility of teaching the next generation how to sustain themselves and care for their mental health. This method of teaching looks different for everyone, especially for children with evolving needs or teenagers being entrusted with significant responsibilities for the first time. For some, the path to enhanced quality of life and mental health involves psychiatric treatment before reaching adulthood.
This action can have lasting effects on family members, particularly parents who want the best for their children. By understanding how to support your child in psychiatric treatment, parents can make a tremendous difference in their child’s mental well-being by providing the tools to navigate challenges and build resilience. This guide will help you understand mental health challenges in children, discuss the importance of your involvement, and provide practical steps for supporting your child throughout their care.
Types of Psychiatric Treatment for Children
Psychiatric treatment can vary greatly depending on the child’s needs, diagnosis, and symptoms. Here’s an overview of the two primary types of care and how each can benefit your child.
Outpatient Care
Outpatient psychiatric care is suitable for children who can maintain their routine at home while receiving regular mental health support. This type of treatment often includes weekly or bi-weekly therapy sessions, such as individual, family, or group therapy. Outpatient care may also involve medication management if prescribed. This approach allows children to work on their emotional and behavioral challenges in conjunction with their daily lives, such as school or extracurricular activities.
Inpatient Care
Inpatient psychiatric care is for children who require intensive, round-the-clock treatment due to severe symptoms, safety concerns, or conditions that are not manageable at home or in outpatient settings. This kind of care typically involves a stay at a facility where a team of professionals provides individual treatment. During inpatient care, your child will engage in therapy, medication management if needed, and structured activities to provide a safe environment to address pressing mental health concerns.
When To Seek Psychiatric Treatment for Your Child
Understanding the signs of mental health challenges based on your child’s age is crucial for early intervention with a therapist or psychiatrist. While some behavioral and emotional difficulties are commonplace as children develop, others are important to discuss with your child and their health-care provider.
Younger children may exhibit behaviors such as frequent tantrums, difficulty sleeping, loss of interest in making friends, or struggles in school. They might also express emotional distress through physical complaints, such as stomachaches or headaches, without a clear medical cause.
Signs may present differently in children over 12, including prolonged sadness, low energy or fatigue, withdrawal from friends or family, significant changes in sleeping or eating habits, or noticeable academic decline. Teens may also display increased risk-taking behaviors, self-harming actions, or verbalize thoughts of suicide.
Taking note of these behavioral and emotional signs is the first step to setting your child on the right path toward healing and recovery.
How Parents Can Facilitate Mental Well-Being
As your child seeks psychiatric treatment, your role as a parent becomes crucial in supporting their journey. Here are some actionable ways to create a supportive foundation for your child’s healing, from creating a safe and understanding environment at home to actively participating in their therapy process.
Cooperate With Mental Health Professionals
Therapists and psychiatrists often rely on parents for insight into their child’s personality and behavior and following through with recommended strategies. Provided information from parents is essential for creating tailored treatment plans aligned with your child’s needs. Regularly check in with their care providers and ask questions to address your concerns, gain access to further resources, and receive feedback on supporting your child’s development.
Understand Your Child’s Treatment Goals
Understanding your child’s treatment goals is essential for offering meaningful support. These goals reflect how care providers help your child reduce symptoms of common mental health conditions, whether they aim to regulate their emotions, perform better in school, or improve relationships. Have open conversations with your child and their therapist about these objectives so you understand what support they may require from you.
Engage With Psychoeducation
Educating yourself about your child’s mental health can transform the way you interact with and support them. Psychoeducation involves learning about the symptoms, triggers, and treatment approaches associated with their condition, as well as the coping strategies they’re learning in each treatment session. This knowledge deepens your understanding of their experiences and equips you to create a supportive home environment, demonstrating your commitment to their healing journey.
Validate Your Child’s Feelings
Validation is a powerful tool for building trust and emotional safety with your child. It involves acknowledging their emotions without judgment or dismissal. Use reflective listening to clearly show you understand their feelings by offering reassurance that their emotions are valid and important. Doing so creates an environment where they feel safe to open up and share their struggles.
Express Your Encouragement and Support
Encouragement is vital to helping your child navigate their mental health journey. Regularly acknowledge the effort they’re putting into their treatment, even if progress feels slow. Treat setbacks as growth opportunities and reassure your child that it’s okay to struggle because you’ll support them through it all.
Help Your Child Follow Their Treatment Plan
Consistency is crucial for the effectiveness of any mental health treatment. Help your child stick to their treatment plan by ensuring they attend therapy sessions, follow through with prescribed medication (if applicable), and help them practice the coping skills they’ve learned. If they feel nervous about attending therapy or maintaining certain routines, work together to address these challenges.
Building a Brighter Future for Your Child
Supporting your child in their psychiatric treatment may feel challenging, but your role as a parent is indispensable. Your active involvement, reassurance, and willingness to work alongside mental health professionals significantly contribute to your child’s quality of life.
Remember, there’s no quick fix for mental health challenges, but with patience, early intervention, and a supportive environment, your child can overcome these hurdles and gain tools to thrive in the future.
Envision Mindcare provides the personalized care and attention your child deserves, whether it is treatment for an anxiety disorder, ADHD, or other mental health concern. Contact our team to book a consultation and discover our holistic, evidence-based approach to mental health care.