1. Express your concern
Be patient and compassionate towards children with special needs. Show your concern and be friends with them. This way they would feel like discussing their issues with you. You can directly say to them, “I’m concerned about you,” and then take the conversation forward. Herein you can start by digging into the root case of the mental problem being faced by the child by talking about the symptoms that you noticed. For example, rather than saying to the child, “I think you’re depressed,” its better to say, “I notice you sleep for long hours, what’s the matter?” once the child feels comfortable in discussing his problem without any hesitation; you could consult an expert.
2. Visit a mental health expert
Consult your pediatrician or family doctor for reference regarding a good mental health expert in your area. The expert could better guide you regarding the cause of mental health problem being faced by the child as well as update you with the possible solutions.
3. Review family background
Mental health issue could run in families and hence, it’s a good idea to find out if any family member or their child had any mental issue. If yes, you can take advice from them regarding a knowledgeable expert to consult.
5. Consider family therapy, too.
Mental illness of an individual affects the whole family. Hence, you can consider family therapy along with individual therapy. This helps all family members in understanding the mental illness better. Further, you can help all members of your family understand a mental illness better, improve relationships between family members, and learn the best ways to help your loved one learn to manage a mental illness.
