Counselling and Medical Care

A little help at young age can prevent big Psychological Problems later. Most Psychological problems faced by adults have their roots in the childhood. Young children are highly susceptible to fears and complexes, which, if gone unnoticed, take a deep root in the child’s subconscious and keep growing. Any such Psychological dilemmas do not surface until a person is well into his late teens or early twenties. By then the treatment becomes more tedious and takes months instead of days. Therefore, Parents and teachers should pay special attention to the mental, physical and emotional well being of the children at a younger age. Any symptoms of early disturbance must be taken seriously. A change in routine, sudden crying spells or aggressiveness as well as a loss of memory or interest indicate the same kind of Psychological problems which need immediate attention. Following are some Psychological problems commonly seen in children.

Autism:

• Exists in his or her own world
• Has repetitive routines
• Odd and peculiar behaviour
• Problems in communication
• A total lack of social awareness
• No interest in others
• Resists cuddling
• Withdrawn, aloof, and fails to respond to other people
• Not making eye contact
• Engages in odd or ritualistic behaviour like rocking, hand waving etc
• May speak in rhyme, have echolalia (repeating a person’s words like an echo)
• Refers to themselves as a "he" or "she".

Depression:

• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
• Hopelessness
• Decreased interest in activities; or inability to enjoy previously favourite activities
• Persistent boredom; low energy
• Social isolation, poor communication
• Low self-esteem and guilt
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
• Difficulty with relationships
• Frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomachaches
• Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
• Poor concentration
• A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
• Talk of or efforts to run away from home
• Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behaviour
• Spending most of the time alone and without activity

Anxiety:

• Constant thoughts and fears about safety of self and parents
• Refusing to go to school
• Frequent stomachaches and other physical complaints
• Extreme worries about sleeping away from home
• Overly clingy behaviour at home
• Afraid to meet or talk to new people
• Panic, tantrums or distress at times of separation from parents
• Have short-lived fears, (such as fear of the dark, storms, animals, or strangers)
• Many worries about things before they happen
• Constant worries or concern about school, friends, or sports
• Their worries may interfere with activities
• Anxious children may also be quiet, compliant and eager to please

Learning disabilities:

• Has difficulty understanding and following instructions.
• Has trouble remembering what someone just told him or her.
• Fails to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills, and thus fails schoolwork.
• Has difficulty distinguishing right from left; difficulty identifying words or a tendency to reverse letters, words, or numbers; (for example, confusing 25 with 52, "b" with "d," or "on" with "no").
• Lacks coordination in walking, sports, or small activities such as holding a pencil or tying a shoelace.
• Easily loses or misplaces homework, schoolbooks, or other items.
• Cannot understand the concept of time; is confused by "yesterday," "today," "tomorrow."
• Not mastering school tasks
• Easily distracted, and has a short attention span.

Dyslexia:

A discrepancy between the pupils’ ability and their actual achievement
If you notice that a child who appears to be average or bright when they are talking to you is struggling to read, spell or cope with math/s, quite able, especially in the areas of creativity (art, drama, drawing, etc) and physical co-ordination (physical education, swimming, sports, model-making, etc.), but different in dealing with text (and often with numbers).


A family history of learning difficulties


Hearing difficulties
The second type of dyslexia - 'acquired dyslexia' - is often caused by hearing difficulties, which children may suffer from during a heavy cold or through having frequent ear infections at an early age (which may have been treated with tubes/grommets). If a child wrote down a different word from the one you dictated in a spelling test, it might be worth suggesting a hearing test.


Confusion over left and right
A fairly quick way to establish this type of confusion is to ask a child to point to his/her left foot with his or her right hand. You may also notice difficulties with east and west, or in following directions like 'Go to the end of the road and turn left, then right, etc'.


Writing letters or numbers backwards
You will have noticed some children who mix up 'b' and 'd', or even 'p' and the number 9. These letters are the same in their mirror image, and cause regular confusion for a dyslexic person. Some pupils make a point of always writing the letter 'b' as an upper-case or capital 'B', as they find this much easier to remember in terms of the direction it faces.

Difficulties with math/s
One feature of dyslexia is difficulties with sequencing - getting things in the right order. Math/s depends on sequences of numbers - 2. 4. 6. 8. etc


Difficulties with organising themselves
difficulties with planning and thinking ahead to when a book or pen might be needed next. They can really benefit from help with organising papers and folders under a simple colour-coded system.


Difficulty following 2- or 3-step instructions

ADHD: (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

• Trouble paying attention
• Inattention to details and making careless mistakes
• Easily distracted
• Loses school supplies, forgets to turn in homework
• Trouble finishing class work and homework
• Trouble listening
• Trouble following multiple adult commands
• Blurts out answers
• Impatience
• Fidgets or squirms
• Leaves seat and runs about or climbs excessively
• Seems "on the go"
• Talks too much and has difficulty playing quietly
• Interrupts or intrudes on others

NCE provides counselling to children who have developed any symptoms listed above. Trained counselors provide practical advice to children and parents.

Children requiring medication are referred to Bailey Institute of Homeopathic Psychology (BIHP), the leading centre of Homeopathic research in Pakistan .At BIHP Children are seen by professional specialists for Psychological Problems. Special classes of recently introduced homeopathic medicines are used successfully to treat children. Children from all age groups are benefiting from the previous research of BIHP. If you know children who are exhibiting any unusual behaviour, suffering from an emotional shock or having problems in their studies, then bring them to BIHP for a safe and complete treatment.