Parents should know when a child's actions or behaviors become disturbing. It is not normal and it causes alarm. Usually, a parents' radar senses something is wrong in a child's behavior when it causes tension and disagreements. Conflicts sometimes arise between children in school and siblings at home. When a child does not have a "buddy" at school, it could be disturbing.
When children throw tantrums when they do not get their way, parents think it's normal. Sometimes children quarrel among themselves because of selfishness and they don't know how to share. Some parents even think this is but normal for a child.
Experts also agreed that when children have divorced parents, dysfunctional homes, families that are always moving or experience stressful events in life are usually unhappy. The child has problems coping and usually exhibit behavioral problems. It's also different when a child begins having problems at school or with friends, or if he or she becomes uncooperative and has inexplicable outbursts. These instances make parents confused and unsure of what to do as per Psychology Today.
Warning Signs and Parent Radar
When these warning signs appear and a parent's radar does not seem to work, a specialists advice is what parents seek out. In Ann Douglas' book called,Through The Storm, you will find a list of behavioral signs that she says should not be ignored. These signs could possibly mean that the child may be having behavioral problems or, in a more serious note, mental health issues.
If children are struggling at school, distracted when doing schoolwork, or aggressive toward other kids at school. these could be a cause for alarm. It is a more painful thing to accept in flawed family set up. Parents could sometimes overlook that children flee from family members, or even friends, which is usually caused by being temperamental. It is also alarming if your child manifests anxiety, especially on something mundane or routine.
It is also interesting to note that when school aged kids lack the desire to mingle and play with others, it may be sign of a behavioral disturbance since they are usually full of energy and always "on the go". Or they may be sleep deprived caused by bad dreams. Usually, it is enough to cause worry when children has no appetite at all. All these and some more are signs of behavioral problems in children, according to Douglas' book.
When any of these traits manifest in your child, especially if it is not related to any stressful life event, Douglas' suggests that parents seek professional help early on. They could indicate signs of a problem needing specialized attention. She shares her experiences as well as other parents who had a similar situation as her. Her children had serious mental health challenges-bipolar disorder, anorexia, ADHD, Asperger's, and depression. So she has typically done other parents' homework of searching. Now parents are more informed and at best should be more watchful.
