There are several common childhood mental disorders. These include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which involves hyperactive behavior, difficulty paying attention, and impulsiveness. Autism is a developmental disorder where children have limited social skills and repetitive behaviors. Conduct disorder is when children violate rules and social norms through aggression, destruction of property, or deceitfulness. Other disorders include learning disabilities, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, tic disorders, and eating disorders. Childhood mental disorders are challenging to diagnose due to children having less developed communication skills.

1. Types of Mental Illnesses
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Like adult mental disorders there are a number of childhood disorders as well. Child psychiatry
studies have identified the need to study child psychology differently from adult psychology. This is
because a child is dependent on parents and caregivers for emotional and other development.
Moreover, children are less expressive in their words, and thus the disorders are more difficult to
diagnose.
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD): One of the most common childhood disorders,
attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is characterized by hyperactive behavior, difficulty in paying
attention and staying focused. The child becomes easily distracted, misses out on things, switches
from one activity to other, is constantly in motion, talks non-stop, and often does not listen when
spoken to.
Autistic Disorder (Autism): Autism or autistic disorder is a developmental disorder in which the child
displays limited social communication and repetitive behavior. The symptoms can usually be seen at
the preschool age. Certain developmental deficits like no babbling at twelve months of age or no
words spoken by eighteen months along with loss of language or social skills can indicate autism in
babies. In preschoolers, signs like lack of physical contact, avoiding eye contact and failure in
communicating with others can indicate autism. The child may repeat certain behavior like stacking
cups or placing things in a row. He or she may have certain rituals, and be extremely preoccupied
with lights and moving objects.
Conduct Disorder: When there is a repetitive and persistent violation of rules along with flouting the
socially accepted behavior, it is known as conduct disorder in children. Some of the common
behavior exhibited include aggression towards people, cruelty to animals, stealing, fighting,
destruction of property and violations of rules at school and home
Encopresis: This is the voluntary soiling of the clothes due to withholding of the stool. The stool
which collects in the colon can leak out and stain the clothes. This is usually seen in toilet-trained
toddlers above four years of age. Encopresis is a sign of constipation, or is caused by holding the
stool due to psychological or neurological disorders.
Enuresis: Enuresis or bed wetting is the inability to control urination especially while sleeping.
There are three types of enuresis including diurnal enuresis(daytime incontinence), nocturnal
enuresis (nighttime incontinence) and mixed enuresis. While primary enuresis refers to children who
have not been toilet trained, secondary enuresis refers to toilet trained kids who have incontinence
due to some stressful situation. The behavior must be observed twice for at least three weeks for it
to be diagnosed as enuresis.
Learning Disorder: Learning disorders is an umbrella term to define a wide range of disorders
related to learning difficulties. These disorders affect how the person listens, speaks, understands
and puts learned things to use. The learning disorders are grouped into different skill sets. These

2. include:
Learning disabilities in reading (dyslexia)
Learning disabilities in math (dyscalculia)
Learning disabilities in writing (dysgraphia)
Learning disabilities in language (aphasia/dysphasia)
Learning disabilities in motor skills (dyspraxia)
Visual processing Disorder
Audio Processing Disorder
Mental Retardation: Preferably known as intellectual disability, mental retardation is a
developmental disability that is characterized by below average intellectual functioning and adaptive
skills (skills needed for everyday life like learning language, social skills and work related skills). It is
often diagnosed in children less than eighteen years of age.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder: This is a disorder that is marked by hostility and defiance towards
authority figures. Common symptoms of the disorder include extreme anger, refusal to comply with
rules, saying hurtful things, mean and spiteful behavior in children. The child may have frequent and
inconsolable temper tantrums and anger outbursts.
Pica Disorder: When a child eats substances like clay, dirt, chalk or sand then he or she may have
the pica disorder. This is especially true if the child continues to do so for more than a month. Some
of these substances can be toxic like the lead in paint or hairballs that can cause intestinal
obstruction. Nutritional deficiencies like an iron deficiency, acquired taste or mental stressors like
parental neglect, family issues and poverty can trigger off this disorder in children.
Reactive Attachment Disorder: A rare condition but one which can have serious implications,
reactive attachment disorder is when a child fails to get attached to caregivers or parents due to
abuse or neglect. Orphaned children may suffer from this problem as well. The lack of necessary
love and nurture can lead to withdrawing from others. The child is often not responsive to people,
has no interest in playing with toys or other people and likes being alone. In older children
symptoms like aggressive behavior, obvious awkwardness and discomfort can be seen.
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Rett's Disorder: A neurodevelopmental disorder that affects girls only, Rett's disorder is
characterized by normal growth in the initial six months of the baby's life, followed by a slowing in
the development. Slow head growth, problems with walking, wringing of hands, seizures and loss of
muscle tone are some common physical symptoms. The developmental delay may be accompanied by
a deterioration of the language and social skills.
Rumination Disorder: This is an eating disorder in children which is characterized by constant
regurgitation and re-chewing of food that is undigested. This is more often seen in infants older than
three months and rarely in younger children or adolescents. This disorder is often accompanied by
symptoms like bad breath, stomach indigestion, chapped lips and weight loss in babies.

3. Selective Mutism: This is a childhood psychological disorder in which a child who can speak restricts
himself or herself from speaking in social settings or at school with unfamiliar people. This form of
extreme social phobia is especially common in children who are younger than five years of age.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Separation anxiety in children is described as a fear or anxiety over
separation from the parent and home. The child may suffer from excessive distress and worry at the
prospect of being separated from the primary caregiver and familiar surroundings. They may refuse
to go to school, be reluctant to sleep and have repeated nightmares about being separated. In some
cases, the child may complain of imaginary illnesses like headaches and fever.
Stereotypic Movement Disorder: This is a mental disorder in children that is characterized by
repetitive behavior like hand waving, biting oneself, nail biting or body rocking. The behavior often
has a negative impact on the day-to-day life of the child and may even cause bodily harm
Tic Disorder: Abrupt, often painless, rapid movements or sounds are known as tics. There are two
types of tics, motor and vocal tics. Motor tics can range from being simple tics like eye blinking or
head jerks or complex tics like biting, banging and making obscene gestures. Similarly vocal tics can
range from meaningless sounds to complex vocal tics like coprolalia wherein obscene gestures and
sounds are made. When both motor and vocal tics are present it is known as Tourette's disorder
which is a more complex form of tic disorder.