As Rwandans say “Umwana apfa mu iterura” Children’s rights and children’s mental health are so delicate. In a world where everyone is busy trying to get a life, in the end, most end up getting stress-related illnesses. Luckily some people notice it and end up getting treated in some places of Africa where most women and children are slightly left aside, it is hard for people to notice what a child is thinking, his wishes, desires, or his threats and fears. It can be hard to detect mental health conditions in children because typical childhood growth is a process that involves change. Also, the symptoms of a condition may depend on a child’s age. Young children may not be able to express how they feel or explain why they are behaving a certain way. Children’s Mental health conditions are often defined as delays or changes in thinking, behaviors, social skills, or control over emotions.
As parents are out for work and children are left home with expectations that they’ll simply be fine, the mental illness progresses over and over to such an extent that some parents will think that their child has been poisoned or something else. Thinking that their child is mentally deprived, they go to local health providers, pastors, or witches and when that doesn’t work they finally head to the hospital.
Children facing mental illnesses may present anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and sadness that lasts two or more weeks Changes in being social or staying away from others, hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself Talking about death or suicide losing weight, and Trouble sleeping.
While these can be strange to manage one can also maintain children’s proper mental health listening to children, playing with them, providing them a proper diet, and being a good role model.
Whenever one makes an effort to contribute to children’s mental health, results speak for themselves, genuine smiles, creativity, improved learning, and great health come in return.
In a world where everyone is busy trying to get a life, finding time to talk to care for our children must be prioritized. by doing this our world would turn into a better family and a safe healthy place for all of us.
authored by Esdras RWAKANA