‘Is My
Child OK?’
What parents need to
know about the ups and
downs of childhood versus
mood disorders
BY LAURA FARMER
It’s a question we parents ask ourselves all the time: “Is my
child OK?” As parents, we know there are times when our children
do not seem emotionally OK. For example, perhaps a toddler seems
to be throwing tantrums more often and at decibel levels that surely
can’t be normal. What about a sullen teenager who always seems moody
and isolates herself in her room? How about a school-aged child whose
frustration in school prompts him to act out? Are these behaviors within
the realm of “normal,” or should parents be alarmed?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question has been further
complicated by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more
than a year, most students learned at home, virtually. Despite their
heroic teachers’ best efforts, remote learning was a trying experience
for many. Finally, students are back in school and are navigating the
school routine’s pressures: waking up early, being around peers
for six hours a day and encountering new academic demands.

Naturally, we should expect that our kids will need to adjust
to this new experience, which may cause them to act out in
ways we weren’t anticipating.

“Is my child OK?” How do we, as parents,
differentiate between the normal ups and downs
of the younger years versus an actual mood
disorder that needs specialized care? For
help, we turn to the experts.

RAWF8 ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
20 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2021