Detecting Mental Health Early

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Image result for autism

Mental health issues are a huge part of the population and a major reason as to the need for counselors rising day by day. Erford states the term ‘trauma’ is derived from the Greek word for “wound” (2018). Wounds is a great way to describe what happens when mental health issues go unattended to.  It is evident in todays society that the lack of understanding and awareness to see the early signs of mental instability has become more prevalent with families feeling separated from their loved ones through avoidance and strange behaviors. To champion through the those avoidances my focus area is Mental Health and identifying ways to treat mental health. I realize that there is a vast array of ways to treat, but not many people are able to identify some of these signifiers to detect it especially in children, especally children who are autistic.

According to an article “Most children with autism are described as emotionally disturbed, schizophrenic, or psychotic. School or community services are generally unavailable. Children are vulnerable to institutionalization and other harms”

I am motivated to pursue this sector because I have family members who have been mentally ill and heavily affected by not getting the counseling and help they need. From experience, people don’t see counseling as a preventative method to keep their mental stability they see it as problematic. The consensus should be we eat healthy foods and get our check ups physically, we should also maintain a healthy mind as well.  To address my focal area for Mental Health, several years ago I discovered what it meant to be autistic and how to notice the early signs of autism early in children, “when a child is diagnosed with autism, families have to continually accomplish many new tasks, such as understanding medical and other diagnostic information, getting help for the needs of children from specialists and services and financing (Guralnick, 2000; Minnes, 1988). Detecting the early signs of autism are important to secure a better future for children and adults. 

How parents can spot the warning signs

Monitor your child’s development. Autism involves a variety of developmental delays, so keeping a close eye on when—or if—your child is hitting the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective way to spot the problem early on. While developmental delays don’t automatically point to autism, they may indicate a heightened risk.

Take action if you’re concerned. Every child develops at a different pace, so you don’t need to panic if your child is a little late to talk or walk. When it comes to healthy development, there’s a wide range of “normal.” But if your child is not meeting the milestones for his or her age, or you suspect a problem, share your concerns with your child’s doctor immediately. Don’t wait.

Don’t accept a wait-and-see approach. Many concerned parents are told, “Don’t worry” or “Wait and see.” But waiting is the worst thing you can do. You risk losing valuable time at an age where your child has the best chance for improvement. Furthermore, whether the delay is caused by autism or some other factor, developmentally delayed kids are unlikely to simply “grow out of” their problems. In order to develop skills in an area of delay, your child needs extra help and targeted treatment.

Trust your instincts. Ideally, your child’s doctor will take your concerns seriously and perform a thorough evaluation for autism or other developmental delays. But sometimes, even well-meaning doctors miss red flags or underestimate problems. Listen to your gut if it’s telling you something is wrong, and be persistent. Schedule a follow-up appointment with the doctor, seek a second opinion, or ask for a referral to a child development specialist.



References

Erford, B. T. (2018). Human development throughout the lifespan. In B. T. Erford (Ed.), Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (pp. 311–336). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Girli, A. (2018). Being a Parent of a Child with Autism from Diagnosis to the University Years.

            Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(5), 55–64. Retrieved from


            rue&db=eric&AN=EJ1175617&site=eds-live&scope=site

AMA J Ethics. 2015;17(4):310-317. doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2015.17.4.ecas3-1504


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