Nearly half of all mental health problems start before the age of 14. Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and mood disorders are common mental health problems that can arise. When these issues are left unresolved in childhood, they become a long-term mental health issue, affecting socioeconomic and personal life.
Early experiences play a huge part in the overall development of children— be it cognitive, emotional, or physical. Recently, there has been more evidence that confirms the fact that the early life experiences of children have a long-lasting impact on their future development. It affects their future cognitive, behavioural, and emotional development.
Unhealthy parent-child relationships, abuse, neglect, and other distressing experiences can all take a toll on a child’s overall development. With the right help at the right time, children become more equipped to cope with the difficult circumstances they come across in all aspects of life. That is why early intervention is so important.
Early Intervention In Childhood
Early intervention in childhood positively impacts the future mental health of growing children. It affects the overall well-being of the child as well as the family.
So, what is early intervention? Early interventions are integrated mental health services offered to infants and children with disabilities, developmental concerns, social and behavioural concerns, together with their parents, families, or primary caregivers. It includes child counselling, child-centred play therapy, filial therapy, and other forms of therapies based on the unique needs of children and their families.
According to a recent study, almost 14% of children between the age of 14 to 17 have a diagnosable mental health issue in Australia. Though childhood mental health issues can be short-term, studies reveal that most mental health issues continue and travel with children into their adulthood if they are not resolved.
How Does Early Intervention Help?
Early interventions help and support children, especially children with behavioural concerns, to prevent mental health, social, and behavioural problems in the later years as they grow. It helps them develop stronger emotional and social skills and strengths for an overall positive outcome as they become adults.
We know that the needs of every child are different, so early intervention services are personalised according to the needs of the child and the family. Early interventions like play therapy and child counselling focus on fostering children to develop resilience and improve cognitive skills and social connectedness.
Child counselling is highly beneficial for children suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and children with challenging behaviours. Counselling encourages children to express their emotions by creating a confidential and nurturing space. As they talk and listen to the child counsellors, they start to identify and understand what’s going on and what they feel in their mind. Children’s counselling provides them with the support to process their difficult or unresolved feelings and equips them with coping strategies, communication, socialisation, and problem-solving skills.
For much younger children who have trouble expressing their emotions through words, play therapy helps. Play therapists provide an opportunity for children to express their emotions through play.
In short, early intervention helps:
- Build self-confidence and self-esteem
- Improve relationships
- Provide skills to work through stress and difficult situations
- Improve empathetic skills
- Improve academic performance
- Develop positive thinking and
- Improve decision-making skills
Don’t Delay if Your Child Needs Help
If you are concerned about your child and think they need professional help, contact our team at CoRe Kids Therapy in Moorabbin.
Our specialist team of play therapists, counsellors, and psychologists provide the right support to your kids through an extensive range of mental health services, including child counselling, play therapy, parent effectiveness training, and family therapy services in South East Melbourne.