Mental health support – guidance for 5-10 year olds

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder which means that a child or young person is unable to speak in select situations and environments – for example, at school. They are, however, able to speak well in other places – for example, at home. Children who experience selective mutism can often freeze when they are in situations where they are expected to speak to someone, which makes talking impossible.

Anxiety, Worry and anxiety-based disorders affecting 5 to10 Years of Age

Difficulties with managing emotions guidance for 5 to 10 year olds

It's natural to worry whether your child is getting enough food if they refuse to eat sometimes.

But it's perfectly normal for toddlers and children to refuse to eat or even taste new foods.

Do not worry about what your child eats in a day or if they do not eat everything at mealtimes. It's more helpful to think about what they eat over a week.

If your child is active and gaining weight, and they seem well, then they're getting enough to eat.

Top tips

• All of the many different emotions that children have during bereavement are completely natural and normal. Some children experience powerful emotions that they may find difficult to understand and manage. Some of the reactions can be unexpected or surprising and may seem inappropriate to adults (e.g. they may be deeply distressed one minute, then ask if they can go out to play) but this is normal and doesn’t mean that the child doesn’t care or isn’t grieving.

Depression does not only affect adults. Children and young people can get depressed too.

It's important to get help early if you think your child may be depressed. The longer it goes on, the more likely it is to disrupt your child's life and turn into a long-term problem.

Things that could help

• The Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families and Young Minds provide a range of different types of support for children, young people, parents and their families.

Tics and/or Tourette's syndrome are neurological conditions of unknown origin characterised by tics. Tics are vocal sounds or body movements that are made involuntarily (not on purpose) and are repetitive. People who have both vocal and motor tics for a minimum of twelve months may receive a diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome if this is helpful to them.

Reactions to a traumatic experience can differ greatly from person to person. It is important to understand that just because a child has experienced a traumatic event, this does not mean that they will inevitably suffer severe emotional consequences as a result.

Factors that influence how much children react to a traumatic event include; the age of the child and their ability to understand the event, the nature of the event, how quickly they can return to a normal lifestyle, their support network and the people around them.