5 Details in Children’s Behavior That Can Signal Serious Problems

All children break the rules. They test the world this way and try to find the boundaries they can’t cross. Most children’s whims and mischief are a natural learning process. However, there are moments when a child’s seemingly harmless behavior can signify something more serious.

At Bright Side, many of us are parents too, and we know what it’s like to worry about your own child. That’s why we’ve studied the works of psychologists and found 5 situations that require your attention. As a bonus, you’ll learn about common moments that worry many parents but are completely normal.

They’re picky about their food.

Often, children are quite picky about their food choices and flat out refuse to eat certain dishes. This can be a sign that your child has emotional problems. Scientists have found that very picky children are diagnosed with depression 2 times more often than children that eat everything.

According to the authors of the study, 14% to 20% of parents complain that their children between the years of 3 to 5 years refuse to eat many foods. Researchers examined the group of toddlers of this age and found out that those who are moderately or severely picky about their food are almost 2 times more likely to develop anxiety than those who are not as selective. In addition, children with high or medium selectivity are more likely to have symptoms of depression.

They’re sensitive to their clothes.

A child may complain that this or that is prickly or that it chafes them. They may refuse to wear some items but won’t want to take off others, even if they’re worn out with holes. At the same time, the child doesn’t care about the weather and may want to put on a cap on a warm day or take off their mittens only after taking off their shoes. Many parents think that these are simple whims. And while this is often the case, it can also be a sign of increased anxiety.

They use gadgets more often than usual.

Many children love to play games on their smartphones or computers, but those with anxiety may spend more time in front of the screen. Scientists found that an addiction to gadgets can be a sign of increased anxiety and stress. If a child spends a lot of time on their smartphone, they’re probably afraid of missing an important event or message.

If you see that your child spends too much time with their phone, talk to them. Play an online game with them and ask them what they’re watching. This kind of behavior can provide you with valuable insight as to what bothers your child so much.

They beg for new toys.

Many parents have been in situations where a child begs them to buy something while crying and whining. It’s believed that all toddlers go through this stage but according to psychologist Lyudmila Petranovskaya, this is not entirely correct. Normally, a child doesn’t worry about things missing in their life until teenage years. Their world is full of everything they need.

However, if parents often argue about their finances when the child is present or blame the child for the expenses, this can develop a deficiency model of the world in a child. In this case, the child thinks the world is a place where something is always missing, and they have to try really hard to get things. That’s why children who experience deficiency always beg for new toys, even they don’t really need them. They just want to see if their parents can take care of them.

This kind of behavior is corrected by abundance. This doesn’t mean that you have to buy everything the child asks for. However, it simply means that the normal order of things should be returned — like when a parent gives their child benefits not because the child begged or deserved them, but for no specific reason. Spontaneous, inexpensive gifts will show much more love than expensive things that the child had to beg for in tears will.

They constantly look for new information.

According to psychologists, if a child constantly searches for information online, monitors news, and asks more questions than usual, it’s a sign of increased anxiety. If it seems to you that your child has become much more inquisitive and asks questions like, “What will happen if an earthquake starts?” try to carefully find out what bothers them and let them know that you’re ready to listen to them and help them.

Bonus: children’s behavior that can scare you but is completely normal

• Tantrums: This is a normal and even healthy part of growing up. With the help of tantrums, the child checks boundaries and explores the world around them. Sometimes tantrums become too frequent and parents begin to worry whether their children have serious psychological problems. However, this behavior is most likely unconscious

• Bad behavior in front of other people: Usually, a calm kid begins to make noise, run around, and asks you to play in front of your guests. Some people can get worried about this behavior, but it’s completely normal. The child becomes anxious when they see that someone else has caught your attention. They want to confirm that the relationship between you 2 is perfectly fine.

Do you know any other signals that show there’s something wrong with your child? Tell us in the comments below.