Mental health is essential!

Updated September 5th, 2007

Everybody wants children to be happy and healthy. One of the most important ingredients for this is good mental health!

What is mental health?

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act. It’s how we view ourselves, our lives, and the people around us. It also helps us handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. 1

Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life. In young children, mental health refers to the ability to control emotions, develop relationships, and explore the environment. Early childhood
mental
health is
synonymous with healthy
social and
emotional developmentEarly childhood mental health is synonymous with healthy social and emotional development. 2

Can young children really have mental health concerns?

Yes! In fact, mental health concerns in children are not uncommon. About 1-in-5 children have an emotional or behavioral disorder, and about 1-in-10 children have a serious emotional or behavioral disorder that is severe enough to cause substantial difficulties at home, at school, or in the community. 3

Awareness of children’s mental health is growing. The identification of children with behavioral concerns has doubled in the last two decades, 4 and children are being identified with behavioral concerns at an earlier age today. 5

These facts illustrate that our community more than ever is realizing that a child’s mental health is
as important as his
or her physical healthour community more than ever is realizing that a child’s mental health is as important as his or her physical health.

For example, a physical condition such as diabetes can be caused by a myriad of factors–like genetics, biology, and environment. Likewise, a mental health disorder can be caused by a mix of internal and external factors. And, like diabetes, a child’s mental health disorder can range from mild to severe. Finally, as is diabetes, a mental health disorder is treatable if caught early enough and addressed properly. Left untreated, though, the condition can become more severe and more difficult to treat.

Why is mental health important?

A child’s earliest years set the stage for the rest of their life. As they grow, children with strong mental health develop more satisfying relationships with others, handle everyday stresses better, and show greater curiosity and interest in learning. 6

Mental health also promotes school readiness. Just as young children need to learn their numbers and letters to be ready for kindergarten, so too do they need to know how to follow directions, express emotions appropriately, resolve arguments, play and cooperate with classmates, make friends, learn how to wait, tolerate some discomfort, soothe themselves, follow safety precautions, and take pleasure in their achievements. These skills are the basic building blocks for learning and academic success.

Simply put, good mental health gives a child the best foundation for growing up to be a successful student, productive worker, and engaged community member.

  1. Austin Child Guidance Center, What Is Mental Health?, accessed July 2007 (back)
  2. Zero to Three, 2004. (back)
  3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999 (back)
  4. Kelleher KJ, McInerny TK, Gardner WP, Childs GE, Wasserman RC. Increasing identification of psychosocial problems: 1979-1996. Pediatrics. 2000;105(6):1313-1321. (back)
  5. Keenan, K., & Wakschlag, L. (2000). More than the terrible twos: The nature and severity of behavior problems in clinic-referred preschool children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 33-46. (back)
  6. Questions About Kids: What is Meant by Infant Mental Health?, Harris Training Center (back)