One of the main responsibilities of being a physician is to protect people from disease rather than cure it. Especially if you have an area of expertise related to children’s diseases, you have to do a lot in the name of preventive medicine. Based on this idea, I am trying to share with you some information that can be a guide for parents in this column for a period of about 8 months.
Can mental disorders in children be prevented?
Even if it is not possible to completely prevent diseases, preventive measures can be taken with early detection. For example, we can diagnose some organic diseases such as Down syndrome, Phenylketanuria, Thyroid Disorders, by means of screening tests performed in the womb or in early infancy. However, the screening methods and assessment tools available for mental disorders do not allow this. We cannot detect a very common mental disorder such as autism in the womb. Some behaviors of the child at 24-36 months make us think of this.
In the name of preventive medicine, early detection of risk groups and mental disorders that we know to be hereditary and taking precautions makes it easier to control the results that seem inevitable. At this point, information sharing such as providing counseling to parents, seminars, television programs and handbooks can also be considered as a part of social responsibility.
For example, learning disorders that can be detected early in preschool groups can lead to dramatic changes in a child’s entire school life with appropriate treatment and support. Imagine you have a 5-year-old child who goes to kindergarten. Doesn’t want to participate in the painting activities given in the classroom, has difficulty copying very simple drawings, has an obvious problem with pencil holding. This child’s reluctance to participate in activities due to his underlying disability may cause adjustment problems at school after a certain period of time. If this child is thought to be in the risk group and measures are taken before he reaches the first grade level, the child’s primary education life will begin away from traumas. If the problem is not detected; A child who can’t even do a very simple drawing in kindergarten will have difficulty with complex handwriting at first grade level, will start to hate school and cause many problems.
If a four-year-old child takes a lighter and attempts to burn things in the house, attacks those around him with a knife, even for play purposes, and does not know what his action means, or makes threatening words like I want to kill myself, the problem is “I’m coming”. he’s actually saying. Children with impulsive (that is, the way to act as they please) behaviors are at the forefront and are candidates for mental illnesses such as conduct disorder, oppositional defiance, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and early detection and treatment of these children can change the course of the child’s whole life.
Being able to observe his child or student well, while investigating the reasons for any problem behavior; what could it be? what can I do? Many sensitive parents and teachers, who have an inquiring attitude such as children, play a critical role in identifying and guiding risk group children.
If you observe differences in some of your child’s behaviors and attitudes when you compare them with their peers, this may be a precursor to a mental disorder. A sensitive approach, not oversimplification, proper assessment and preventive approaches can smooth out a potentially problematic situation.
