Childhood Psychology

student walking through library at school

Why Home Instruction Negatively Affects Those with Mental Illness

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According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, at least one in five school-aged children has a mental health condition. Emotional, psychological, and behavioral issues can interfere with a child’s academic performance and can cause children to perform negatively in school. If your child suffers from a mental health condition, you may believe that the best choice to take for them would be to transition to homeschooling. Although this may seem like the right decision, there are situations where homeschooling can be more harmful and can create a more restrictive environment for children.

The Drawbacks of Homeschooling

Home instruction is not always the answer for children suffering with mental health issues. It is evident that homeschooling can eliminate the stress of public school for most children, however, that is only a temporary fix. In fact, avoiding the stress that comes with attending school and being surrounded by others can negatively impact your child because they will not be able to develop the coping skills they need to handle stress later in life. Also, home instruction can prevent much-needed social interaction children need to thrive. In order for home instruction to be effective, it has to meet the child’s educational needs while dealing with their mental health issues. In most cases, parents are not able to fulfill both educational requirements and help their children with their mental illness. Another important thing to mention is that children who are homeschooled lose access to the extracurricular activities and school facilities that help boost their learning experience

Seek Professional Help

If you are considering home instruction for your child, please note that there are other options that could be more beneficial for your child such as therapeutic education. Therapeutic schools integrate classroom instructions with therapeutic services to help your child succeed in school. Not only do therapeutic schools provide academic learning, they also provide life, social, and coping skills that students will need to be successful later in life.

New Alliance Academy provides educational and ancillary therapeutic services for high school teenagers experiencing acute psychological distress.

teenager worried about her mental illness

Knowing the Signs of Mental Illness in Children

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As a parent, it can sometimes be difficult to identify behavioral health problems in your child. Knowing the signs illness can help your child get the treatment they need sooner, which can benefit your child for the rest of their life. To better understand the signs and symptoms of behavioral disorders in children, it is important to know their definitions.

Behavioral Health Disorder Defined

Mental health relates to our cognitive, emotional, and behavioral well-being, which is all about the way we think, feel, and behave. Behavioral health disorder is when there is a disruption in our process of thinking, feeling, and behaving which makes it difficult to function daily and to self-regulate emotions. When a child has a behavioral health disorder, it can disrupt the development in their age-appropriate thinking, social skills, behaviors, and self-regulation of emotions. This disruption can put them in distress in social situations, at home, or school. Some common disorders in children are:

  • Anxiety disorder
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Eating Disorders
  • Depression

Signs of Behavioral Health Disorders

Signs and symptoms of illness may vary from child to child, and they may not show every sign. Some of the most common signs include:

  • Persistent sadness
  • Avoiding or retreating from social interactions
  • Self-harm or having conversations about hurting oneself
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Changes in academic performance
  • Avoiding or missing school
  • Outbursts or severe irritability
  • Harmful and out-of-control behavior
  • Alterations in eating habits

If you are concerned about your child and think that they may have a disorder, reach out to your child’s primary care doctor. Make sure they are aware of the behaviors that your child is showing and how they are concerning you. The doctor will make the best educated decision for your child to initiate mental health care or continue to monitor their health.

New Alliance Academy is a school in Paramus, NJ that provides educational and ancillary therapeutic services for high school teenagers experiencing acute psychological distress.