Mental illness is an important issue which affects some members of our younger population.
The detection of mental health issues in young people is on the rise due to better monitoring and diagnosis.
Make a Difference
Due to increasing number of children receiving diagnoses of mental health issues, there is greater need for people to work in positions where they can help children to manage their symptoms and cope with their illness. Take this course so you can be one of the people who makes a difference to the lives of these young people.
This course is designed to help you broaden your understanding of mental health disorders and problems facing young people. The focus is primarily on mood disorders and anxiety disorders along with eating disorders, tic disorders and mental health problems which arise from environmental influences such as socioeconomic status and parental influences like neglect.
This course will:
- Increase your awareness of mental health issues
- Develop your understanding of causes of mental health problems
- Help you to recognise treatment options for children experiencing mental health difficulties
Learn more about mental health issues in children and adolescents by studying:
- The scope of child and adolescent mental health
- The differences between adult and child mental health issues
- Depression in childhood
- Anxiety disorders, school phobias, social phobias
- Tic disorders
- Brain disorders
- Motor disorders
- Elimination disorders
- Environmental problems
- Abuse
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Family conflict
- Holistic treatments
This course is suited to professionals who work with children in a caring capacity, as well as others in related roles.
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
- Nature and Scope of Mental Health – looking at difference between adult and child and adolescent mental health. What we mean by mental health? Mental wellness etc.
- INTRODUCTION
- UNDERSTANDING NORMAL CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
- GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
- UNDERSTANDING CHILDHOOD MENTAL ILLNESS
- PREVALENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
- DIFFERENCES TO ADULT MENTAL HEALTH
- AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MENTAL HEALTH INDUSTRY
- Childhood Depression also how this changes when reach adolescence. signs and symptoms and treatments.
- INTRODUCTION
- TYPES OF DEPRESSION IN CHILDHOOD
- DIAGNOSIS OF DEPRESSION IN CHILDREN
- CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD DEPRESSION
- ASSESSING RISK OF SUICIDE
- Anxiety Disorders - separation, generalised etc. school phobias, social phobias etc. signs/symptoms/treatment
- INTRODUCTION
- SCOPE AND NATURE OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
- DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
- CHILDHOOD ANXIETY DISORDERS
- ADOLESCENT ANXIETY DISORDERS
- OTHER ANXIETY RELATED PROBLEMS
- Tic Disorders - Tourette's etc. signs/symptoms/treatment
- INTRODUCTION TO TIC DISORDERS
- TYPES OF TICS
- GILLES DE LA TOURETTE SYNDROME (TOURETTE'S DISORDER)
- TRANSIENT TIC DISORDER
- CHRONIC TIC DISORDER
- TIC DISORDER (NOS)
- Brain Disorders (Injury & Disease) signs/symptoms/treatment
- INTRODUCTION
- DIFFERENCES TO ADULTS
- TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
- CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS
- GENETIC DISORDERS
- TUMOURS
- INFECTIOUS DISEASES
- CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASE
- EPILEPSY
- ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS
- Other Disorders - Motor Disorders, Elimination Disorders, Feeding & Eating Disorders; Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
- INTRODUCTION
- ELIMINATION DISORDERS
- ENCOPRESIS
- ENURESIS
- FEEDING AND EATING DISORDERS OF CHILDHOOD
- REACTIVE ATTACHMENT DISORDER
- SELECTIVE MUTISM
- STEREOTYPIC MOVEMENT DISORDER
- Environmental Problems - Abuse and Neglect, Relationship Problems signs/symptoms/treatment
- INTRODUCTION
- CHILD ABUSE
- DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE
- FACTITIOUS DISORDER BY PROXY
- THE EFFECTS OF ABUSE
- ATTACHMENT ISSUES
- LIFESTYLE
- Problems of Adolescence - Anorexia, Bulimia, Substance Use, Family Conflict signs/symptoms/treatment
- INTRODUCTION
- SIGNIFICANT DISORDERS OF ADOLESCENCE
- Holistic and Alternative Approaches to Treatment
- DRUG TREATMENTS
- FOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH
- ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - homeopathy, art therapy, music therapy, counselling/psychotherapy, craniosacral/biodynamic osteopathy, kinesiology, aromatherapy, sensory integration, behavioural optometry, hearing and mental health, movement therapies.
- Special Project - student chooses something of interest
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Sample Course Notes - What is Autism?
Autism is the name given to a pervasive developmental disorder that describes a wide range of behaviours.
Pervasive developmental disorders are those which are characterised by abnormal social interactions and communication skills, and by repetitive, or stereotyped, and restricted interests and activities. These impairments are significant in light of the individual's developmental or mental age and occur across a wide range of situations.
Autism may also be referred to as infantile autism, childhood autism, or autistic disorder. Children with autism are less able to interact with the world in the way that other children do. They will usually have deficits in three main areas – social awareness and interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted interests and behaviour. Particular areas where deficits are observed might include gross and fine motor skills, sometimes intellectual skills, and imaginative play.
Autism is a spectrum disorder. This means a child can be considered a 'little' autistic or 'very' autistic. Children with autism are sometimes given a 'label' or specifier which refers to the type of diagnosis they have according to where they fit on the autism spectrum.
If the effect of the autism is limited, the child may be given a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome or High Functioning Autism, whilst if the Autism has more effect, they may be regarded as having Classic Autism, Autism or Kanner Autism (named after Kanner 1943 who first described the main features of autism). Recent research has suggested that there may actually be more than one type of autism, but there is still debate as to how many 'autisms' there are and so the Autistic Spectrum is still used currently.
Disorders become apparent in the first five years of life. Often some degree of mental retardation is also present and should be noted.
The following abnormalities in development may be observed in autism. Impairments must be observed in at least one key area before the age of three if autism is to be diagnosed. Abnormalities of social development are most specific to autism.
- Impaired Social Development & Interactions
- Abnormal Communication
- Repetitive Behaviour
A range of other problems can be associated with autism.
Sometimes autistic children may engage in self-injurious behaviours. They can have problems with integrating sensory inputs and can be over or under sensitive to different stimuli. There are other symptoms that can sometimes come into play as well.
What Next?
- Do you work with children or would you like to?
- Do you live with children experiencing mental health difficulties?
- Would you like to increase your understanding of mental health issues facing children and adolescents today?
Take this course to -
- Improve your knowledge and understanding of child mental health issues.
- Enhance your career and job prospects for working with children in health and caring roles.
Who Should Study this Course?
This course will be useful for anyone currently working in the following careers or wanting to move into careers in -
- Youth work
- Child and adolescent counselling
- School counselling
- Teaching
- Child psychology
- Caring roles
- Youth coaching
The course is also useful for -
- Parents
- Foster Carers
- Anyone working with children
Enrol today and start working towards a more fulfilling career!
Any Questions?
Our psychology tutors are delighted to answer any questions.
Please click here to contact a tutor or Request a course handbook here.
