Testing and diagnosis
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, talk to a health care provider about getting a comprehensive evaluation for your child to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
- Many mental health disorders are chronic health conditions—conditions that last a long time and often don’t go away completely. They can continue through the lifespan.
- Some conditions may respond quickly to treatment by a trained health care professional and may not recur.
- Without early diagnosis and treatment, children with mental health conditions can have problems at home, in school, and in forming friendships.
- Mental health conditions can also interfere with a child’s healthy development, causing problems that can continue into adulthood.
Diagnosis is often made in the school years but can sometimes be earlier, depending on the condition. However, some children with a mental health condition may not be recognized or diagnosed as having one.