Early Childhood Mental Health

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Identifying Children with Mental Health Challenges

Always Consider:

• How severe is the behavior?

• How many weeks or months has the behavior been occurring?

• How long does the behavior last (e.g., minutes, hours)?

• How does the behavior compare with the behavior of other children of the same age?

• Are there events at home or in child care that make the behavior better or worse?

u  Are there cultural factors influencing the behavior? 

•  What has the child learned about relationships or consequences based on past experiences?  

Behaviors that may indicate emotional or mental health problems in Infants and Toddlers

•  • Displays very little emotion

•  • Does not show interest in sights sounds or touch

•  • Rejects or avoids being touched or held or playing with others

•  • Unusually difficult to soothe or console

•  • Unable to comfort or calm self

•  • Extremely fearful or on-guard

•  • Does not turn to familiar adults for comfort or help

•  • Exhibits sudden behavior changes

•  Sleeping and feeding issues

•  Delays in meeting developmental milestones

Behaviors that may indicate emotional or mental health problems in Preschool Children

•  • Cannot  or has trouble playing with others or objects

•  • Absence of language or communication

•  • Frequently fights with others

•  • Very sad

•  • Unusually fearful

•  • Inappropriate responses to situations (e.g., laughs instead of cries)

•  • Withdrawn

•  • Extremely active

•  • Loss of earlier skills (e.g., toileting, language, motor)

•  • Sudden behavior changes

•  • Very accident prone

•  • Destructive to self and/or others

•  Sleeping issues

•  Being asked to leave a daycare or preschool setting due to behaviors. (losing placements in these programs)