The Mayo Clinic has put together a list of warning signs for parents and doctors to consider and possibly catch mental illness early when a child has behavior that is different from normal childhood moodiness, aggression, and hyperactivity.

This list has been endorsed by the US Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and uses easily understood language.  The hope is that this list will help parents to decide whether or not to seek help.

Signs of Possible Mental Disorders

• Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than two weeks
• Seriously trying to harm or kill yourself, or making plans to do so.
• Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing.
• Involvement in many fights, using a weapon, or wanting to badly hurt others.
• Severe out-of-control behavior that can hurt yourself or others.
• Not eating, throwing up, or using laxatives to make yourself lose weight.
• Intense worries or fears that get in the way of your daily activities.
• Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that puts you in physical danger or causes school failure.
• Repeated use of drugs or alcohol.
• Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Drastic changes in your behavior or personality.

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