Tantrums and misbehaviors are normal in early childhood, and are a part of the developmental process. However, it’s important to recognize the difference between children who misbehave and children who are developing behavioral and emotional disorders. These can be hard to determine in children due to the variance in milestone achievement and the influence that an underdeveloped brain has on children’s behavioral and emotional activities.
But, if you suspect that your child’s behavior is abnormal, it’s important to talk with your pediatrician about your child’s behavior and what that could mean. Here are a few common behavioral and emotional disorders in children and how they can be addressed:
Challenging behaviors
Challenging behaviors are described as any pattern of behavior that is above the expected norm for age and level of development. It has been defined as “Culturally abnormal behavior of such an intensity, frequency, or duration that the physical safety of the person or others is likely to be placed in serious jeopardy or behavior which is likely to seriously limit or deny access to and use of ordinary community facilities.” Essentially if your child has daily tantrums that are so severe that other children and/or adults are in danger, then they most likely exhibit challenging behaviors. These behaviors can impede learning and restrict access to normal activities and social opportunities, especially if your child is continuously removed from school or other environments where they can interact with children their own age.
Some of these behaviors are interpreted as ineffective coping strategies for children with or without a learning disability. Some children with learning disabilities like Autism and other neurobehavioral disorders may use challenging behaviors to draw attention, express themselves, or as a result of neglectful behavior. There are also environmental factors to developing challenging behavior, including places where making choices, social interaction, or activities is limited.
Aggression is also a challenging behavior and the top reason for referral to child psychiatrists. It starts in children who are preschool age and can be influenced by individual temperament, exposure to violence, and even disturbed family dynamics. Aggression is commonly diagnosed with other mental health disorders.
Disruptive behavior problems (DBP)
DBP include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in children and adolescents and is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention that are excessive for a child’s age and development.
Conduct disorder refers to severe behavior problems characterized by repetitive and persistent manifestations of serious aggressive or non-aggressive behaviors against people, animals or property. These children normally struggle to understand how others may think and can falsely misinterpret the actions of other people as being mean. They lack appropriate social skills to establish and maintain friendships, which aggravates their feelings of sadness, frustration and anger.
ODD is the most mild form and these children are typically openly. hostile, negative, defiant, uncooperative and irritable. They lose their tempers easily and are mean and spiteful towards others. This pattern of behaviors significantly negatively impacts their lives at home, school, in society, and impairs all of their relationships.
Emotional Disorders
Emotional disorders develop later in childhood and include panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, social phobia, specific phobias, OCD and depression.
Mild to moderate anxiety is a normal emotional response to many stressful life situations. Anxiety is when there is an excessive severity in comparison to the gravity of the circumstances. Panic disorder is a panic attack un-triggered by external stimuli.
GAD is a general worry across multiple life domains. Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by fear related to actual or anticipated separation from a caregiver. Social phobia is a fear of social situations where peers may negatively judge them.
Anxiety disorders present with physical and emotional symptoms. Your child may have increased heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, shaking and abdominal pain or nausea. Emotional symptoms involve worrying about things before they happen, experiencing repetitive or unwanted thoughts or actions, and having fears of embarrassment or making mistakes which leads to low self-esteem and self-confidence.
Depression occurs in children under stress, experiencing loss, or having attentional, learning, conduct or anxiety disorders and other chronic physical ailments. Symptoms of depression are diverse and can mimic other problems like low mood, frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying, and decreased interest or pleasure in almost all activities.
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by a pervasively irritable or angry mood. Symptoms include frequent episodes of severe temper tantrums or aggression in combination with persistently negative mood for weeks.
Complications of Behavioral and Emotional Disorders
These disorders, if left untreated, may have negative short- and long-term effects on an individual’s personal, educational, family and professional life. Conduct disorder is linked to failure in completing school, atteing poor social achievement, poor interpersonal relationships, and long-term unemployment. Children with hyperactivity-inattention disorders are more likely to have favourable educational outcome compared with aggression or oppositional behaviors.
Sleep problems are highly prevalent in children with behavioral and emotional disorders. Sleep problems in early childhood is associated with increased prevalence of later Anxiety disorders and ODD.
There are also several studies that identify the strong relationship between early childhood emotional and behavioral disorders and long-term physical and mental health outcomes. These children also have a higher risk for developing other complications including incarceration, substance use and abuse, alcoholism, homelessness, poverty, and domestic abuse.
Management
If you have a child with emotional and behavioral disorders, it’s important to get them, and you, help right away. Identification of appropriate management depends on careful assessment of the symptoms, family and caregivers influence, socio-economic environment, child’s developmental level and physical health. Management requires a multi-level, multi-disciplinary approach that involves several different professionals to address the complexity of these diseases. Holistic management strategies will include various combinations of several interventions like therapy, behavioral modification, and pharmacology.
DHS can help to provide some of these resources as far as support for the family. If children’s behavior is due to a disability where home health is necessary, then Diverse Health Services is available to provide assistance in anyway that caregivers and family members need. Just click on our services button to see what we offer and if we are the right fit for your family.
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