WHO recognizes that child and adolescent mental health is important for societal development. Mental illnesses in childhood can have long-lasting academic, social, and physical consequences. Some common childhood mental disorders include mental retardation, autism, learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and separation anxiety disorder. These disorders are characterized by impairments in cognitive abilities, social skills, communication, attention, and behavior control that require comprehensive treatment programs.

1. Childhood Mental
Disorders and Illnesses

2. WHO recognises that child and adolescent mental health is
a necessary priority for the healthy development of societies
Mental illness in childhood can have far-reaching
academic, social, developmental and physical consequences.
Types
1. Mental Retardation
 condition present from childhood -significantly below
average general intellectual functioning (an IQ of 70 or
below).
Characteristics of mental retardation
intellectual deficits,
significant impairments in various abilities involved in
adapting to everyday life,
 lack of social skills and judgment,
difficulty in communicating,
inability to care for themselves.

3. Causes of Mental Retardation
•Genetic Causes
•Environmental causes
•Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
•These types of disorders are those that permeate every facet
of a child's existence.
•These are characterised by severe impairment in several
areas of development (e.g., social interaction and
communication skills) or the presence of extremely odd
behaviours, interests and activities.
•

4. Autism
It is characterised by a massive impairment in an individual's
ability to communicate and relate emotionally to others.
six symptoms
Impairment in social interaction
•Impairment in social interaction manifested by:
•Impairment in the use of several nonverbal behaviours, such
as facial expression, body postures and eye contact.
•Failure to develop appropriate peer relationships. Lack of
spontaneous sharing of enjoyment, interests or achievements
with others
•Lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

5. Impairments in communication :
•Delay in or lack of spoken language development.
•Impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation.
•Stereotyped or repetitive use of language.
•Lack of spontaneous social imitative play.
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior,
interests, and activities :
•Preoccupation with stereotyped or restricted patterns of
interest.
•Inflexible adherence to non functional routines or rituals.
• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand
flapping)
•Preoccupation with parts of objects.
•Treatment requires a comprehensive programme of
intervention.

6. Learning Disorders
It is a delay or deficit in an academic skill that is evident
when an individual's achievement on standardized tests is
substantially below what would be expected for others of
comparable age, education and level of intelligence.
•Mathematic,
•Writing
•Reading(dyslexia).
Communication Disorders
Communication disorders are conditions characterized by
impairment in the expression or understanding of language.
Motor Skills Disorders
The primary form of motor skills disorder is the
developmental coordination disorder.

7. Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behaviour Disorders
Children with these disorders commonly act in ways that are so
disruptive and provocative that caretakers and peers respond
with anger, impatience or avoidance.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
It is a disorder involving inattentiveness and hyperactivity
Inattention characterised by the following symptoms persisting
for at least 6 months.
•Makes careless mistakes or fails to attend to details.
•Does not listen when spoken to.
•Does not follow through on instructions or responsibilities.
•Has difficulty in organizing activities.
•Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort.
•Loses items necessary for tasks
•Is easily distracted.
•Is often forgetful.

8. Hyperactivity-impulsivity characterised by following
symptoms lasting for at least 6 months.
•Often fidgets and squirms
•Often leaves seat inappropriately.
•Often runs about or climbs excessively when it is
inappropriate.
•Often has difficulty in engaging leisure activities.
•Is often "on the go" or acts as if "driven by a motor.“
• Often talks excessively.
•Often blurts out answers before questions have been
completed.
•Often has difficulty awaiting turn.
•Often interrupts or intrudes.

9. Conduct Disorder
It is a condition characterised by the repetitive and persistent violation of
the rights of other people.
Individuals with conduct disorder violate the rights of others and
society's norms or laws.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
This disorder show a pattern of negative, hostile and defiant behaviour
that result in significant family or school problems.
Youths with this disorder repeatedly lose their temper, argue, refuse to
do what they are told and deliberately annoy other people.
Symptoms:
•Often lose temper.
•Often argue with adults.
•Often actively defy or refuse to comply with adults' requests or rules.
•Often deliberately annoy others.
•Often blame others for their mistakes or misbehavior. o Are often angry
and resentful.
•Are often spiteful and vindictive.

10. Separation Anxiety Disorder
Children with separation anxiety disorder have intense and
inappropriate anxiety concerning separation from home or care-givers
Features
•Recurrent excessive distress when they anticipate separation from
home/ parents/important attachment figures.
•They always worry that harm may occur to the attachment figures or
that they will lose these people.
•They worry that they may get kidnapped and get separated from their
care-givers.
•Refusal to go to places such as school because of the fear of
separation.
•They fear to be alone without the attachment figures.
•They may be reluctant to go to sleep without being near the attachment
figures.
•Repeated nightmares involving separation.
•Repeated complaints of physical symptoms when they anticipate a
separation.