Is Your Child Dealing
Are you supporting a child with diagnosed or suspected psychosis?
Seeing your son or daughter go through the signs and symptoms of psychosis can be a hurtful and overwhelming experience. Caring for them can also be a stressful and isolating experience for you.
The following information may help you understand what your child is going through and how you can look after yourself.
What is Psychosis?
Psychosis is a condition that affects the way the brain processes information. It is a temporary loss of contact with reality in which the individual displays obvious changes in personality, sometimes seeing and hearing things that aren’t real and experiencing delusions which are fixed false beliefs.
Childhood psychosis is rare and often confused with/for other behavioural and/or mental health conditions. Symptoms of psychosis can be temporary and can be treated effectively with antipsychotic medications and therapy. Some conditions such as Schizophrenia, in which psychotic symptoms occur, can be long-term.
Symptoms of Psychosis in Children
Symptoms of psychosis in a child vary depending on their age. Some of the earliest indications may present themselves in developmental problems, such as delays in speaking and walking or abnormal motor behaviour. As a child grows well into adolescence, their symptoms may include:
- Changes in personality such as social withdrawal and isolation
- Changes in emotions such as uncharacteristic anxiety, anger or moodiness
- Challenges in sleep, including brief periods of deep sleep as well as insomnia
- Disregard in personal hygiene
- Disordered thinking – slow, muddled, disrupted thoughts
- Disordered behaviour – unusual, inappropriate, extreme or risky actions
- Delusions – fixed false beliefs that can’t be changed by evidence; for instance, the person can be convinced that “they are God” or that “someone is trying to kill them” despite there being no real reason for this belief
- Hallucinations – hearing voices or otherwise sensing things that aren’t real; this can include seeing, smelling, tasting and hearing things that others can’t sense
- Inability to express thoughts and emotions properly
- Occurring social or academic problems in schools
What Causes Psychosis?
- Hereditary – genetic predisposition; sometimes runs in the family
- Biochemical – shortage or excess of certain chemicals in the brain
- Lifestyle – stress, lack of sleep, substance abuse such as alcohol, marijuana and LSD
- Trauma – experiences such as death, war or sexual assault
- Psychological – a symptom of mental challenges such as schizophrenia, bipolar, severe depression or Alzheimer’s Disease
Diagnosis of Psychosis
Childhood psychosis is rare, although, not impossible. Since psychosis, as well as all other mental health challenges, can affect the educational, emotional and social development of a child, it is necessary to bring them to a GP or a Psychiatrist to get professional help. A diagnosis involves systematic interviews alongside ruling out other behavioural and mental health conditions.
As a parent, it may be hard to accept that your son or daughter might be experiencing mental health challenges. If you observe something unusual with your child, it’s best to seek the help of your family doctor immediately so that they can advise on what to look out for and what plan of action should be done next – such as seeing a GP or a Psychiatrist to diagnose your child.
Treatments for a Child with Psychosis
There are varying treatments for psychosis, with antipsychotics as the most common medicine for people experiencing psychotic episodes or psychosis. However, since dealing with children experiencing psychosis is more sensitive, a treatment plan by a professional GP or Psychiatrist is necessary.
Giving a prescription of antipsychotic medication can stop the episodes and connect the person back to reality. But the medicine does not treat or cure the underlying condition that triggered the psychosis. Additional therapy should be sought to address the underlying triggers. This may require a lifestyle change, for instance, stopping the use of recreational drugs, trauma therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy or another form of therapy and/or treatment tailored to the individual.
How to help your child deal with Psychosis
As a parent, it might be hard to accept that your child is experiencing psychosis at such a young age and therefore you may be in denial and restricting your child from the help that they need. The first thing to do is to accept your child’s suspected condition and find them the appropriate mental health service through a GP, a mental health phone line or through online mental health services.
How to help yourself as you care for your child with Psychosis
Having a child diagnosed with psychosis can be exhausting, frustrating, confusing and isolating. It can also take a toll on the parent especially if you blame yourself for the condition of your son or daughter. To overcome this roadblock, it’s best to help yourself by taking care not only of your child but also of your mental health and wellness.
HelpingMinds® offers free and confidential support to people living with or caring for someone experiencing mental health challenges. We offer free counselling, support groups, rest and revive activities, as well as conduct school holiday programs, family programs, and youth programs to people living in WA.
Get Support from HelpingMinds®
Would you like to know more about free and confidential mental health carer services and how we can support you? Please feel free to contact HelpingMinds® via the form below or on (08) 9427 7100. For one of our team to get back to you, we will require your email address and/or phone number. Please know all information provided will be treated completely confidential and in line with our privacy policy.
