Common Childhood Mental Health Issues: Signs and Symptoms

Childhood mental health issues impact many children and families. According to national survey results published in October 2020, one in seven children ages 3 to 17 (13 percent) had a current and diagnosed mental health condition (anxiety, behavior disorders, and/or depression). Additionally, more than one in three children (37 percent) surveyed had two or more conditions.¹ These struggles often begin in early childhood and become more common with increased age. 

In today’s blog post, let’s take a closer look at the most common childhood mental health issues, including anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and depression.

Anxiety

While worries and fears are typical in children, extreme or constant alarm may be due to anxiety. If their worries begin to interfere with school, home, or play, they may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Specifically, anxiety affects 2.2 percent of children ages 3 to 5, 8.0 percent of children ages 6 to 11, and 15.3 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 17.² It’s important to note that anxiety is not one disorder but a category of conditions.

Separation anxiety disorder refers to kids who are afraid to be away from their parents, while phobia is an extreme fear about a specific thing, like a dog, or a situation, like flying on an airplane. Social anxiety disorder refers to fear around going to places with a lot of people, like school. Panic disorder is repeated episodes of sudden, unexpected, and intense fear with symptoms like a pounding heart, trouble breathing, or feeling dizzy. Lastly, children with generalized anxiety disorder experience ongoing anxiety and worry that are difficult to control but don’t relate to a specific situation.

According to the United States Preventive Services Taskforce, children should be screened for anxiety between the ages of 8 and 18. Treatment plans often include a combination of psychotherapy, family therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and medication.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

According to a recent national survey of parents, an estimated seven million children ages 3 to 17 (11.4 percent) have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their lifetime. This number increased by one million between 2016 and 2022. In general, boys are more likely to be diagnosed than girls (15 percent versus 8 percent).^3,4

ADHD symptoms can vary in severity, with about six in ten children experiencing moderate to severe ADHD. Children with a co-occurring condition, like a learning disorder, anxiety, or depression, often have more severe ADHD than children without a co-occurring condition. A child with ADHD may:

• Forget or lose things
• Daydream often
• Squirm or fidget (i.e. have trouble sitting still for meals or school)
• Talk too much
• Have difficulty getting along with others
• Have trouble sharing or taking turns
• Have trouble following directions and staying organized
• Experience challenges with motor development

Symptoms of ADHD also vary based on gender. Research reveals that boys often show externalized symptoms, like impulsivity and running, and tend to be more physically aggressive. Meanwhile, girls show internalized symptoms, including low self-esteem and inattentiveness, and tend to be more verbally aggressive.⁵  

Treatment can include behavior therapy, medication, or a combination of both, with the recommendation being age-specific based on the patient. For patients under age six, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends behavior therapy as the first line of treatment. For children six years of age and older, a combination of therapy and medication is preferred. 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition related to brain development that affects how an individual socializes with others and perceives the world around them. About 1 in 36 children have been diagnosed with ASD, and it is nearly four times more common in boys than girls.  

Typically, children begin to show symptoms within their first year, even as early as infancy. Symptoms include lack of eye contact, indifference to affection, withdrawal, lack of response to their name, difficulty learning, delayed speech, lack of emotional expression, and failure to understand both verbal and non-verbal cues. Because of these symptoms, they often face challenges with pretend play and delays in fine and/or gross motor development. They may also repeat patterns of behavior or rituals, like rocking or spinning.

Although there is no way to prevent or cure ASD, early intervention and diagnosis is incredibly impactful for improvements in behavior, skills, and language development. Although children do not outgrow their symptoms, they can learn to function well.

Depression

Occasionally feeling sad or hopeless is a part of life. Children who feel persistent sadness and disinterest in their daily activities, though, may be diagnosed with depression, another common childhood mental health issue. Like anxiety, it is also a category of conditions, with major depressive disorder being the most common. Children with depression often exhibit the following behaviors:

• Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable
• Not wanting to do fun things
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Sudden changes in academic performance
• Changes in eating patterns (eating more or less)
• Changes in sleeping routines (sleeping more or less)
• Difficulty paying attention
• Feeling worthless, guilty, or useless
• Practicing self-injury or self-destructive behaviors

The United States Preventive Services Taskforce recommends screening for depression in adolescents ages 12 to 18. Similar to anxiety, treatment plans often include psychotherapy, family therapy, CBT, and/or medication.

At the Center for Rising Minds, we’d love to help you and your family with your mental health care needs! Please reach out to us today to inquire about our services or join our waitlist.

References

1. Health Resources and Services Administration. (October, 2020). National Survey of Children’s Health Mental and Behavioral Health, 2018-2019. [Issue Brief]. https://mchb.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/mchb/data-research/nsch-data-brief-mental-bh-2019.pdf 
2. Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. (2021-2022). National Survey of Children’s Health. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Retrieved December 5, 2024 from https://nschdata.org/browse/survey?s=2&y=51&r=1&#home
3. Danielson ML, Claussen AH, Bitsko RH, et al. ADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment.
   J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. Published online May 22, 2024.
4. Bitsko RH, Claussen AH, Lichstein J, et al. Mental health surveillance among children—United States, 2013–2019. MMWR Suppl. 2022;71(2):1-48. 
5. Rucklidge JJ. Gender differences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010 Jun;33(2):357-73. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2010.01.006. PMID: 20385342.