When a child struggles to adjust to change, it can be a sign of a problem.
While some children areresilient to stressful eventsand other major life changes, others struggle to rebound.
A child who exhibits changes in mood or behavior after a stressful life event may have an adjustment disorder.
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An adjustment disorder is a mental health condition that may require professional help.
With appropriate intervention, adjustment disorders usually respond well to treatment.
Causes
People of all ages can haveadjustment disorders, but theyre especially common in children and adolescents.
Adjustment disorders are sparked by a maladaptive response to stress.
They are brought about some jot down of change in a child’s life.
Not all children who experience stressful events develop adjustment disorders, however.
And what one child considers stressful might not be a big deal to another.
That can be confusing for parents, but its an important distinction.
An adjustment disorder will impair a childs social or academic functioning.
Adolescents may exhibit anti-social behavior, such as vandalism or stealing.
Children with adjustment disorders frequently report physical symptoms, such as stomachaches and headaches.
Sleep problems and fatigue are common as well.
Symptoms must appear within three months of a specific stressful event.
But symptoms cannot last for more than six months.
It is possible for children to experience a comorbid condition.
Risk for Suicide
Even though an adjustment disorder is brief, it can still be extremely serious.
Adolescents who are experiencing high degrees of distress are at a higherrisk for suicide.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Approximately 25% of teens with an adjustment disorder experience thoughts of suicide or make a suicide attempt.
Studies show girls with adjustment disorders show higher suicidal tendencies than boys with the same diagnosis.
Never assume your child is merely being dramatic or trying to get attention.
Contact your child’s pediatrician or a mental health professional if your child expresses thoughts of suicide.
If the situation is an emergency, call 911 for first-responders or go to your local emergency room.
Diagnosis
A physician or mental health professional can diagnose an adjustment disorder.
As part of a comprehensive assessment, the parents and the child are usually interviewed.
A healthcare professional will create a customized treatment plan with specific recommendations.
When necessary, a child may be referred to other specialists, like a psychiatrist.
Treatment is usually effective for adjustment disorders.
If You Think Your Child Has an Adjustment Disorder
Symptoms of an adjustment disorder may begin slowly.
Dont brush off the changes in mood or behavior as a phase.
Without appropriate intervention, symptoms of an adjustment disorder are likely to get worse.
If you have concerns about your childs mood or behavior, ask other caregivers what they notice.
Share your concerns and discuss your options.
Perhaps something happened at school or in another persons home when he was visiting.
Or an event that you didnt find stressful may have had a bigger impact on your child.
Yaseen YA.Adjustment disorder: Prevalence, sociodemographic risk factors, and its subtypes in outpatient psychiatric clinic.Asian J Psychiatr.
Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
