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Kids Health Info

Mental health – babies and children

  • Key points

    • Mental health is a person’s social, emotional, and behavioural wellbeing.
    • All children can have mental health challenges.
    • Mental health is important for brain development.
    • Most mental health challenges are caused by a mix of factors.
    • It can be hard to know if your child’s behaviour is a sign of poor mental health, or because they do not yet have the words or skills to manage their emotions.
    • Support your child’s mental wellbeing by teaching them resilience, and helping them to develop skills in areas such as self-esteem, problem solving, and managing stress.

    About mental health in babies and young children

    Mental health is a person’s social, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. All children, no matter their age, can have mental health challenges.

    Research shows that noticing and addressing challenges early can improve mental health across a lifetime.

    Mental health is important for a child’s development. It helps them to:

    • play, learn, and socialise with others
    • form positive relationships and close bonds with family and friends
    • properly express their emotions, from happy to sad, angry, excited, scared, and more
    • manage how they react to different situations
    • cope with challenges and new obstacles
    • develop better self-esteem.

    What impacts mental health in babies and children?

    Many factors in a child’s life can affect their social and emotional wellbeing, including their environment; the genetics they inherit from their family; their physical health; connections with others; and how active they are.

    If your child seems to be struggling with their mental health, it is more important to focus on supporting them than to allocate blame. No matter the cause, the goal should always be improving their wellbeing.

    Babies and toddlers (zero to four years)

    Many different things can affect a baby or toddler’s mental health. They may struggle for similar reasons to older children and adults, because they learn about emotions by watching and copying the people they trust.

    One of the biggest sources of stress is the mental health of parents and caregivers. That is why you need to look after your own wellbeing.

    Other factors that can impact mental health in babies and toddlers include:

    • Traumatic events and shocking experiences, such as a natural disaster (flood or bushfire)
    • Illness or disability
    • Being born very early (prematurity)
    • Developing slower or differently than expected
    • Losing someone or something important, such as a close family member
    • Inconsistent boundaries or unpredictable responses from caregivers.

    Children (five to 11 years)

    School-age children go through a lot of changes in their social, emotional, personal, and physical development as they get older. The demands for their energy and attention tend to grow, too. These changes are normal, but they can lead to mental health challenges.

    Other things that can affect an older child’s mental health include:

    • Friendship and family dynamics
    • Changes to their home life, such as parental divorce
    • Illness or disability
    • Neurodivergence, such as autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
    • Problems at school, such as learning difficulties
    • Trouble sleeping
    • Major life events or drastic changes, such as the death of a loved one.

    Signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in young children

    It can be hard to know if your child’s behaviour is a sign of poor mental health, or simply because they are still learning how to share and manage their feelings. Behaviour is a form of communication; if your child does not yet have the words or skills to manage their emotions, they may show you how they feel instead.

    The following signs and symptoms may suggest mental health challenges if your child shows them most of the time, or they affect their daily life. However, many other factors can also cause these symptoms – especially in younger children.

    Babies and toddlers (zero to four years)

    • Not sleeping well, or changes in their sleeping patterns, such as sleeping more or less than usual
    • Difficulties eating
    • Seeming really distressed, restless, grumpy, or irritable
    • Less playful or only wanting to do certain activities
    • Acting very clingy to a parent or carer
    • Avoiding eye contact
    • Yelling, kicking, hitting, biting, and damaging things around them
    • Struggling to settle when upset
    • In babies: Not crying or trying to get their needs met, such as to get fed or have their nappy changed.

    Children (five to 11 years)

    • Ongoing worry, anxiety, or guilt
      • This may impact their ability to go to school and socialise with others
    • Problems with attention, memory, and focus
    • Big and long-lasting emotional reactions to boundaries
    • Challenges making and maintaining relationships with family and friends
    • Not going to school
    • Playing in a forceful, violent, or destructive way
    • Withdrawing from activities they usually enjoy, such as spending time with friends
    • Bullying other children or pets
    • Not sleeping well, or changes in their sleeping patterns, such as sleeping more or less than usual
    • Difficulties eating
    • Not recognising the danger of strangers
    • Toileting problems, such as bedwetting
    • Complaining of headaches or stomach aches
    • New fears or phobias.

    How to help children with mental health challenges

    One of the best ways to help your child manage mental health challenges is by building their resilience. Resilient children can cope and recover more easily from hard situations. Forming a strong, positive relationship with your child and spending quality time together will help to build their resilience. For example, playing together in an activity led by your child; providing clear and consistent boundaries that you uphold; and responding with support when they are distressed.

    Working on the following skills with your child while they are young can also make them more resilient:

    • Forming respectful relationships with others
    • Trying new and challenging things
    • Optimistic thinking
    • Problem solving
    • Making and keeping friends
      • This includes learning to resolve conflict and cooperate with others
    • Sticking with a task until it is complete, and asking for help along the way
    • Managing their stress
      • Many strategies can help, such as breathing exercises, physical activity, and talking with others.

    Most children learn to overcome challenges on their own. Try to give them a chance to problem-solve alone before you step in, or work with them to discuss the issue and possible solutions. This will help them to handle future challenges.

    When to seek professional support

    You may want to get more support for your child if:

    • They are not meeting their developmental milestones as expected
    • They have many signs and symptoms of mental health challenges
    • Their signs and symptoms are affecting their daily life
    • You are feeling overwhelmed as a parent.

    It is best to speak with your child’s doctor as a first step; they may refer you to a specialist in paediatrics or mental health. If your child is under five years, you could also speak with a Maternal and Child Health Nurse.

    If there is violence or aggression in your family, you feel unsafe, or you or your child are at immediate risk of harm, call emergency services (000).

    Common questions about mental health challenges in children

    How can I talk with my child about their feelings?

    The more you talk about feelings with your child, the easier it will feel for them to share. Try to bring up feelings in everyday conversations to normalise them. For example, you could ask your child how they are feeling as you get them ready for childcare. Focus on the fact that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ feelings, just different ones.

    Try to model how you want your child to talk about their feelings. For example, if you drop something, you could explain to your child that you feel frustrated.

    If your child finds it hard to name their own feelings, it can help to identify feelings in other people, such as book characters.

    My child sometimes hits me when they are angry. What should I do?

    Young children may hit when they are feeling overwhelmed and need support. They may not know how to express feelings of anger or frustration in words. Try to help your child understand the difference between feelings and behaviour using simple language. For example, you could tell them that it is okay to be angry, but it is not okay to hit because hitting hurts.

    What activities can help improve my child’s mental health?

    There are many activities that may help to improve your child’s mental health. Physical exercise is a great place to start; it releases chemicals that make the body feel happy, while reducing stress. You could take your child to the park and encourage them to play or simply go for a walk together. Spending time on-one-one with a parent or trusted adult can have a big impact on a child's feelings.

    Learning new skills is another way to stimulate the body and calm the mind. For example, helping your child practice reading. Your child could also join a playgroup to build their social and communication abilities.

    Should my child see a psychologist for mental health support?

    If your child is struggling with their mental health, they may benefit from seeing a psychologist or another mental health professional. Start by speaking with your child; it is best if you have a strong understanding of why they need extra help, so you can support them outside of a medical setting.

    Your child's regular doctor will be able to assess your child and refer you to the right mental health specialist for support.

    How much time should my child be spending on screens per day?

    Screens are a common part of family life; they can be engaging and fun for children. However, just like any activity, spending too much time on screens can cause problems. Your child should enjoy a range of activities that help them to learn and grow, including real-life play and socialising.

    As a general guide, current global recommendations suggest children under two years do not spend time on screens other than to video chat with family and friends. Over two years, try to balance your child’s screen usage so it does not interfere with important activities like physical play. This will look different for every family.

    I think my child’s mental health is affecting my own. Where can I get help?

    Parenting can be really hard – especially if your child is facing challenges. It is important to look after yourself. There are many places to get mental health support as a parent. You could reach out to an online or phone service, such as Beyond Blue or Lifeline. If your baby is under 12 months, you could contact ForWhen or PANDA. For ongoing help, it is best to speak with your doctor. They can refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychologist.

    For more information


    Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital Psychology department. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

    Reviewed July 2026

    Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.


Disclaimer

This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors of these consumer health information handouts have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Information contained in the handouts is updated regularly and therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout. The onus is on you, the user, to ensure that you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of a consumer health information handout.

Updated July 2025

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