Signs of a Child Struggling with Mental Illness

There are many attachment disorders that can occur in children. These problems can be noticed from a very young age, experts say even as young as only one year old. Signs include severe colic problems, trouble feeding, inability to gain weight, detachment, unresponsiveness, unable to be comforted, defiant behavior, and becoming excessively close with strangers.

These types of issues often stem with troubles in early relationships, ranging from physical and emotional neglect to abuse. These types of situations are common in those who were in foster care or orphanages. Inadequate care giving is usually considered the culprit when it comes to the origins of these conditions.

Two of the most types of attachment disorders in children are reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder. The former is when children will be more likely to stay away from others due to negative experiences with adults, and the latter is the opposite, where the child is not fearful at all and can be overly friendly with strangers, which can be dangerous.