What can I do?One of the responsibilities of being a parent is to look after your son or daughter’s health. This includes their mental and emotional health. It is important to pay attention to your child’s wellbeing and be mindful of the stresses that they face. This site lists a number of signs that suggest a child may be experiencing mental health problems. If your child is showing some of these signs, talk to a health care provider like a nurse or doctor, the counselor at your child’s school, or a mental health professional To find the right help and services for your child, you can: - Get information from hotlines, libraries, or other sources.
- Seek information and referrals from professionals such as family doctors, school counselors, teachers, ministers or pastors.
- Ask questions about treatments and services.
- Talk to other families in your community.
- Contact family organizations that focus on mental health issues, such as:
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
http://www.chadd.org/ The Depression Bipolar Support Alliance
http://www.dbsalliance.org/ The Federation of Families of Children’s Mental Health
http://www.ffcmh.org/ Mental Health America
http://www.nmha.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness
http://www.nami.org/ For more information on finding professionals in your area you can visit this Web site: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/, or call the national suicide prevention hotline at 1(800)273-TALK. It’s very important that parents work closely with healthcare professionals. Research shows that when families are involved in treatment, children and teens are more likely to improve. If your child or teen is receiving help for mental health problems, talk to your mental health provider about what you can do to help. Last revised: March 27, 2009 | 
