TL;DR:
Medically reviewed by Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics
What if the earliest signs of your child’s mental health struggles are hiding in everyday behaviors you rarely think twice about?
This might look like a child who suddenly becomes afraid of sleeping alone, or a little one who once hummed while playing but now sits quietly instead.
According to data research, about one in five children in the U.S. ages 3 to 17 has ever been diagnosed with an emotional, mental, or behavioral condition. Most commonly, they are diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or behavioral disorders — conditions that can affect a child’s school performance, daily life, and relationships.
Unfortunately, many signs of mental health challenges in children can be easy for parents to miss. Some come and go quickly, while others are so subtle they can seem like typical childhood behavior.
This blog highlights 10 signs to watch for so you can stay in tune with your child’s emotional needs.
Related: Is Your Child Struggling with Mental Health Issues?
When mental health issues are diagnosed and treated early, research shows that a child can develop stronger coping skills and
emotional resilience — skills that can help them face life’s challenges with greater well-being.
When parents identify these signs early enough, they get a chance to provide the needed support before the symptoms get worse.
Early detection allows parents and professionals to prevent these difficulties from affecting the child’s daily life, school performance, and relationships with peers and family.
When mental health issues are diagnosed and treated early, research shows that a child can develop stronger coping skills and emotional resilience — skills that can help them face life’s challenges with greater well-being.
The most common issues our clinicians at Amen Clinics see in children, adolescents, and teens include:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also called attention deficit disorder (ADD), can affect your child’s ability to regulate their impulse control, attention, and levels of activity.
When your child has ADHD, they get easily distracted, have trouble staying focused, forget instructions, and struggle to complete tasks. Some of these kids may be hyperactive and constantly on the go, while others appear mentally overwhelmed and quiet.
Anxiety can make your child start complaining of headaches, stomach aches, or feeling “sick” just before school or activities. Some get clingy, become overly afraid of separating from a parent, and may start avoiding doing things they once enjoyed doing. They constantly ask what-if questions, become easily irritable, and experience difficulty sleeping.
In children, depression doesn’t always appear as sadness. Studies reveal a number of signs including a sudden lack of interest in engaging in activities they once enjoyed, low energy, and irritability.
Depression can cause your child to withdraw and want to spend more time alone. They may have changes in appetite, sleep, or have trouble concentrating.
Children with behavioral problems may refuse to follow instructions, experience frequent anger bursts, and argue a lot. They’re easily frustrated, which causes them to lose their temper over small issues.
Studies show that kids with ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) have behaviors that usually go beyond typical childhood testing limits. Once they have anger issues, these children have a challenge calming down.
Concussions and TBIs can have a significant impact on your child’s thinking, mood, or behavior. This can still be happening even long after the injury has healed. As a parent, you may notice problems with attention, memory, and learning. Some of these children become emotional, irritable, and prone to anger outbursts.
Other conditions that affect young people include:
Signs of mental health issues in children aren’t always obvious. Here are some of the changes to pay attention to:
1. Changes in sleeping habits: Keep an eye on your child’s sleep routine. Sleeping much more than usual or requiring far less sleep may be cause for concern.
2. Persistent nightmares: Occasional bad dreams are normal, but research shows that children who have recurring nightmares or night terrors are more likely to experience psychotic episodes later in life.
3. Physical aches and pains: Headaches, stomachaches, muscle pain, and other forms of physical discomfort are commonly seen in anxiety and depression. If your child often has physical symptoms with no apparent cause, it may be time to investigate.
4. Difficulty making friends: Kids who have trouble relating to their peers or developing friendships may be showing signs of behavioral or developmental disorders.
5. Changes in appetite or diet: If your young one suddenly loses their appetite or makes big changes to their daily diet, it could mean they’re having trouble.
6. Mood swings: You may think moodiness is typical behavior for young people, especially teenagers, but having emotional outbursts, temper tantrums, or crying spells can be a sign they’re struggling.
7. Poor school performance: Having trouble in school can be a red flag warning that a child is having some form of issue that’s keeping them from performing up to their potential. Taking a long time to complete homework that should only take a short while is another indication that there may be an underlying issue.
8. Avoiding or missing school: Pay attention if your adolescent or teen is skipping school, as it can be a sign that something is troubling them. This is also a common sign of substance abuse.
9. Persistent boredom: Tired of hearing your child say “I’m bored” all the time? Everyone feels bored from time to time, but chronic boredom is associated with mental health issues, like ADD/ADHD and depression.
10. Argumentative, aggressive, and oppositional behavior: The “terrible twos” when a child says no to everything, stomps their feet, and throws tantrums are cute for a 2-year-old. It isn’t cute in older children or teens. This type of behavior deserves professional attention.
Many parents assume they would immediately recognize if their child were struggling with mental health challenges. In reality, children often express emotional distress through changes in behavior rather than words, which makes these issues easy to misunderstand or overlook.
Others believe their child will simply grow out of it. While some behaviors are temporary, early support can make a meaningful difference and help prevent more serious challenges later.
Some parents think mental health concerns only affect children from troubled or unstable homes. In truth, even kids raised in loving, supportive environments can experience emotional or behavioral difficulties due to genetics, brain development, stress, or school pressures.
Many families hesitate to seek help because they worry it reflects poorly on their parenting. The truth is mental health challenges are medical issues — not character flaws — and recognizing them early can empower parents to get their children the support they need.
If you’ve already noticed some changes in your child’s behavior, emotions, or daily functioning, do not panic. Help is available.
Here are some helpful actions you can take:
Identify a calm moment when you can talk to your child in a simple and non-judgmental way. Say something like: “I’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling different lately. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Make sure they know you just want to help, and they won’t be in trouble for opening up.
Write down what you’ve been seeing.
Take note of the following:
Kids often behave differently in school compared to when they are at home. Talk to their coaches, teachers, and caregivers to find out if they’ve observed changes in your child’s mood, focus, friendships, and energy levels.
You can make small lifestyle adjustments to help stabilize your child’s emotions while you gather more information.
Here are some baseline actions to take in order to promote greater stability:
If this change is affecting your child’s confidence, school performance, friendships, or daily routines, it’s time to talk to a professional. Don’t delay. The sooner you can get the right support for your child, the better the immediate and long-term outcomes.
At Amen Clinics, in addition to taking note of symptoms, we uniquely seek to understand what’s happening in your child’s brain. Through brain SPECT imaging and our comprehensive assessments, we uncover the problem at its roots. This helps us to give your child targeted, effective treatment.
Reaching out for help is not a sign of failure. It’s a powerful step toward helping your child gain emotional stability, confidence, and a healthier future. You may not have the answers right away, but you’re not alone in this process.
What matters most is that you’re showing up for your child by paying attention, trusting your instincts, and choosing to take action. Remember, your child is incredibly resilient, and with the right support, their brain can heal, grow, and adapt in amazing ways.
Early signs are often subtle and can include changes in sleep, appetite, mood, energy, school performance, or social behavior. Some children become more withdrawn, irritable, fearful, or physically complain of headaches or stomachaches. These shifts are easy to miss because they may look like typical childhood phases.
Normal behaviors tend to be short-lived and situational. Mental health concerns are more persistent, interfere with daily functioning, or worsen over time. If changes affect your child’s school performance, friendships, sleep, or confidence, it’s worth paying closer attention and seeking guidance.
While some behaviors may pass, ongoing emotional or behavioral changes shouldn’t be ignored. Early intervention can help prevent symptoms from becoming more severe and can support healthier emotional development and coping skills that will ensure greater mental health as they grow older and throughout life.
If symptoms persist for weeks, intensify, or interfere with school, relationships, or daily routines, it’s time to consult a professional. Trust your instinct — parents are often the first to sense when something isn’t right.
At Amen Clinics, we don’t just label symptoms — we look at what’s happening in the brain. Through brain SPECT imaging and comprehensive evaluations, we gain deeper insight into brain function, which helps lead to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans. This brain-based approach is especially helpful for children and adolescents, whose symptoms can overlap across conditions.
Early signs of a developmental or mental health problems in your child can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we practice precision medicine — using brain SPECT imaging and comprehensive evaluations to understand what’s really happening in your brain, not just your symptoms.
Our whole-body approach to holistic psychiatry combines cutting-edge neuroscience with natural ways to treat mental health conditions, including targeted nutrition, supplements, lifestyle strategies, therapy, and medications (when necessary). Every treatment plan is personalized to address the root causes of your struggles and support the health of your brain, body, and mind.
Don’t settle for guesswork. You deserve answers — and a plan built specifically for you. Speak with a Brain Health Advisor today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page to get started.
About the Reviewer
Kandace Licciardi, MD, Medical Director, Amen Clinics
Dr. Kandace Licciardi is a double board-certified psychiatrist in adult and forensic psychiatry and serves as Medical Director of Amen Clinics. She takes a comprehensive, whole-person approach to care, integrating evidence-based psychiatric treatment with lifestyle, social, and wellness factors. Dr. Licciardi has extensive experience treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and borderline personality disorder, with special expertise in early psychosis intervention. She completed her psychiatry residency at Maimonides Medical Center and her forensic psychiatry fellowship at New York University.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, June 5). Data and statistics on children’s mental health. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html
Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Kataoka, S. H., Wong, M., Tu, W., Elliott, M. N., & Fink, A. (2003). A mental health intervention for schoolchildren exposed to violence: A randomized controlled trial. Jama, 290(5), 603-611. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/197033
National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Depression (NIH Publication No. 24-MH-8079). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression
Lindhiem, O., Bennett, C. B., Hipwell, A. E., & Pardini, D. A. (2015). Beyond symptom counts for diagnosing oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder?. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43(7), 1379-1387.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4561600/
Thompson, A., Lereya, S. T., Lewis, G., Zammit, S., Fisher, H. L., & Wolke, D. (2015). Childhood sleep disturbance and risk of psychotic experiences at 18: UK birth cohort. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 207(1), 23-29.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4486818/
