KUALA LUMPUR: Parents could play a more proactive role in addressing mental health issues among children.
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur patron Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said 424,000 children in Malaysia are grappling with emotional and psychological issues, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019.
"This is a great concern to all of us and this issue needs to be addressed properly as children are our future and our hope.
"There have been intensive discussions on mental health in the last few years. This is good considering how a taboo subject mental illness is," he said in a statement.
However, he said most of the discussions are mainly focused on adults' mental well-being, and it is time to acknowledge the importance of mental health for both adults and children.
"The modern world we live in today presents many wonderful advanced technologies. They also come with a high level of stress, even to children at a young age, unfortunately."
Lee said learning about the symptoms and early signs of mental distress is part of the preventive effort.
Some of the common warning signs, he said, are persistent sadness or worry; frequent outbursts of anger; aggressiveness; loss of interest in things they used to enjoy; changes in academic performance; avoiding or missing school; withdrawal from family and friends; changes in eating habits and sleeping patterns; harming oneself or talking about harming oneself; and talking about death or suicide.
"If you are concerned about your child's mental health, please reach out for help. Speak to a professional, a psychiatrist or a counsellor.
"The ability to recognise that a child needs help is crucial as early intervention can improve their well-being. With proper care and treatment, most mental health issues can be treated," he said.
Lee said children go through many constant changes in their upbringing, such as going to a new school, meeting new friends and all these can make them feel stressed or anxious.
"What more when school children now have to be taught about the new norms in schools."
He said parents play a significant role in ensuring their children's mental well-being, and a home filled with love and care could have a positive impact on children's mental health.
Lee said encouraging healthy conversation by listening actively and allowing children to talk without being judgmental and critical helps build an openness in children, where they are more likely to express themselves freely.
"This means they would be more open to talking about their problems, including difficult and uncomfortable feelings, and reaching out for help whenever they encounter difficulties in the future.
"Spending time together doing positive activities such as reading, exercising and praying helps build stronger connections and instil self-care practice in children.
"Show them it's essential to take care of our mental health, which includes eating a balanced diet and getting adequate sleep."
Lee said a healthy environment in school is very important, as children spend a long time there every day; and they need to be equipped with skills on how to manage stress efficiently and building resilience.
Incorporating these elements into school syllabus can help improve mental health in children, he added.
"Teaching staff can help make school a safer place by keeping an eye on any bullying incident. Bullying can severely affect a child's mental health and can even lead to suicide."
The Befrienders KL offers emotional support to anyone feeling distressed or suicidal.
Its 24-hour helpline could be reached 03-7627 2929.