by Leslie Hayman
Children’s mental health is a complex topic, as is adult mental health, and impacts ability to thrive in all areas, including school and family life. Children’s mental health is particularly important because childhood and adolescence is a period of rapid brain growth and development, driving outcomes for years to come. And mental health is an oft-overlooked, but critical part of overall well-being and functioning.
The Centers for Disease Control (2024) states that, “Mental health in childhood includes reaching developmental and emotional milestones and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when problems arise.” This aptly embodies the nature versus nurture discussion that we now know is nature and nurture: our genetics and environment interact in infinitely complex ways to form who we are and how we function, beginning in utero and continuing until our death bed. It also speaks to mental health as not just being the absence of disease, but the ability to thrive academically, socially, occupationally, etc.
Another good, overall definition of mental health is, “the overall wellness of how you think, manage your feelings and behave” (Mayo Clinic, 2024). This corresponds to the cognitive theory, that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all influence one another, and contribute to our functioning, or lack thereof, in all areas of life.
Because of this, it’s easy to see why children’s mental health is important. Children are developing core beliefs and patterns in thinking, feeling, being, interacting that will shape their future. Good mental health supports healthy kids, healthy families, healthy communities, a healthy society; poor mental health does not. Statistics are clear that even if a child is struggling and diagnosed with a mental health condition, they can still have a good quality of life (CDC, 2024). Like physical illness, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but because life is messy and nothing entirely can be prevented, early diagnosis and treatment are critical for positive outcomes (CDC, 2024).
Often, physical and mental health can be compared to help understand mental health a bit better. Mental Health America (2025) puts forth some basic principles for children’s physical health, including adequate sleep, movement, nutrition, shelter, and minimal contact with environmental toxins. Children’s mental health can be supported by unconditional love, healthy doses of encouragement, and decent reliability from parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults; “appropriate guidance and discipline;” healthy, strong friendships; relative safety and appropriate opportunities for risk. The love, encouragement and reliability of family and friends allow children to have a solid sense of belonging and self, a steady base from which to learn to grow and launch into healthy adults. Guidance and discipline allow children to experience appropriate consequences, learn that their actions have an effect on themselves and others, and learn to choose wisely. Healthy, strong friendships allow children to relate to peers and learn to work cooperatively with others who are different from themselves and function appropriately in a diverse social environment.
Unfortunately, sometimes despite these supportive factors, or in the absence of them, children can develop mental health conditions. Mayo Clinic (2024) provides a definition for mental health conditions that emphasizes the impact on functioning: “Mental health conditions in children are most often defined as delays or changes in thinking, behaviors, social skills or control over emotions. These problems distress children. Mental health conditions disrupt their being able to act well at home, in school or in other social settings.” Mental health conditions can be “clinical,” or a condition that meets full criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual from the American Psychiatric Association, or “subclinical,” meaning they do not, but still represent some impairment of function.
Because children are constantly growing and changing, entering and exiting various stages of life, it can be difficult to detect symptoms. However, if parents, caregivers, or other trusted adults notice the following symptoms (or any concerns for that matter), consultation with a provider is the next step: low mood or sadness lasting more than two weeks, social withdrawal or significant change in social activity, talking about or acting on hurting oneself, others, or animals, talking about death or suicide, outbursts or reactions that are not in proportion to the stressor, pronounced changes in mood, behavioral, or personality, changes in appetite or unexplainable weight loss/gain, trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep, frequent unexplainable aches and pains, especially headaches and stomach aches, trouble concentrating, trouble in school or at home.
If a mental health condition is found, early intervention is crucial. Children can function and thrive with effective treatment, especially when these interventions and treatments include the family system (CDC, 2024). This May, take a moment to consider the importance of mental health for children and how you can support this for the children in your inner circle, community, and society at large. All-around health kids make all-around healthy adults!
American Psychological Association. (2022, May). Children’s Mental Health. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/mental-health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, August 20). About Children’s Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/about/index.html
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2024, January 27). Mental Illness in Children: Know the Signs. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/mental-illness-in-children/art-20046577
Mental Health America. (2025, January 8). What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Health. Mental Health America. https://mhanational.org/resources/what-every-child-needs-for-good-mental-health/#:~:text=Children%20Need%20Playmates,local%20park%20and%20recreation%20department.