Health and Wellbeing
A Parents’ Perspective on Mental Health
Spot the signs that a child with complex needs, who can't tell you how they feel, may be struggling with their mental health.
- 25 minutes
- Recorded webinar
- Certificate
Members
Parent membership: all 50 courses for parents and carers, £40 a year or £4 a month after 14 days free.
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What you'll learn
- Recognise changes in sleep, crying or mood that may point to mental health difficulties
- Understand diagnostic overshadowing, and question "it's just part of the condition"
- Use multisensory story sharing to explain big changes to a child with PMLD
- Try calm sensory activities such as nature walks and soothing music
- Find parent groups and specialist organisations for support
About this course
Every change in a child with complex medical needs tends to get put down to their condition. So when a usually content child starts crying all day, stops sleeping and can't be settled, it can take a long time for anyone to ask whether it's their mental health.
It's told by a mother whose daughter has a very rare condition, epilepsy and profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). After months at home, away from school, her daughter became deeply unsettled, and doctors at four hospitals couldn't find a cause. You'll understand "diagnostic overshadowing", when a child's condition gets the blame for everything. You'll also see what helped this family: the routine of school, calm sensory time like nature walks and music, and multisensory story sharing to explain what was happening.
She also teaches children with PMLD, so she knows how this looks from home and from the classroom.
Recording
Open in order
- 3 min
Introduction
- 4 min
Keeping my Child Well
- 6 min
Impact on Health
- 4 min
Impact on Family
- 6 min
Seeking Help
- 3 min
Raising Awareness
- 2 min
Q&A