CAMHI | Guides for disorders, for health professionals CAMHI |

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Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that can cause children and adolescents to starve themselves. Children and teenagers with anorexia believe they are too fat, even though everyone else sees them as way too thin. To maintain a very low weight, they eat very little and engage in behaviors such...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a mental health disorder that can affect kids who have experienced something very frightening, traumatic, or life-threatening, such as violence, abuse, natural disasters, or bad accidents. The child or teen does not even have to experience the upsetting event for him or herself, as PTSD can...

Depression and Dysthymia

Depression can have a lot of negative effects on an individual’s life, such as missing school and not wanting to be around friends. It is typical for children and adolescents to feel sad when bad things happen, but a child or adolescent with depression doesn’t feel better if things change. Children...

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

What are the symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder? Core symptoms Associated symptoms Notable anxiety or fear related to one or more situations wherein the individual may be exposed to peer scrutiny Excessive anxiety or fear about being embarrassed, humiliated,...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Often, compulsions are not connected to obsessions realistically. For example, a child might have an obsessive fear that their parents will be in a car accident. To deal with that fear, they might turn a light on and off five times. Even if they know it doesn’t make sense, they feel that the ritual...

Tic Disorders

What are the symptoms of a Tic Disorder? Tics are repetitive, rapid movements or sounds. Most are called “simple” tics, meaning tics that are one movement, like a squint or a quick head nod. Some are called “complex” tics, meaning they are larger combinations of movements or sounds, like reaching...

Separation Anxiety Disorder

What are the symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder? The fear, anxiety, or avoidance that children with Separation Anxiety Disorder experience is much more than what is normal for their age. Specific symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder include: Core symptoms Distress in...

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Children and teens with body dysmorphic disorder often feel tremendous shame. They may not want to go to school or see their friends because of the flaw in their appearance. They might try to cover up what bothers them with clothing or make-up or even want to have surgery to correct it. However,...

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

DMDD is a new disorder created to more accurately categorize some children who had previously been diagnosed with pediatric Bipolar Disorder. For children with DMDD, their behavior is stable and not episodic, as in Bipolar Disorder. What are the symptoms of DMDD? Specific DMDD symptoms are...

Intellectual Developmental Disorder

Children with Intellectual Developmental Disorder have deficits in general intellectual functioning that can have multiple degrees. They have difficulties with reasoning, planning, judgment, abstract thinking, and multiple types of learning. They often struggle in school and may also have...

Specific Learning Disorder

Children with “Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading” have an unusually difficult time learning how to read. They often struggle with reading new words, picking out words they have already learned, reading words and sentences at an appropriate pace, and/or comprehending the...

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Typically, the symptoms of ASD are recognized between 12 and 24 months of age. They may be seen earlier than 12 months if a child’s developmental delays are severe, or not seen until after 24 months if a child’s symptoms are more subtle. The symptoms of ASD impact children in two meaningful...

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

What are the symptoms of GAD? The excessive anxiety or apprehensive worries that children and teens with GAD experience is much more than what is normal for their age or the situation they are in. Specific symptoms of GAD include: Core symptoms of GAD Associated symptoms of...

Specific Phobia

What are the symptoms of Specific Phobia? Specific Phobias usually fall into one of five categories: Animal Type (dogs, bugs, snakes, etc.) Natural Environment Type (storms, earthquakes, floods, fires, etc.) Blood-Injection-Injury Type (getting shots, seeing blood or...

Panic Disorder

What are the symptoms of Panic Disorder? Panic Disorder involves recurrent, unexpected Panic Attacks. In between attacks, the individual persistently worries about having another attack and/or changes their behaviors or activities to avoid having an attack. Specific symptoms of a Panic Attack...

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

What are the symptoms of ODD? Children with ODD have a pattern of behavior problems with the following common symptoms: Core Symptoms Associated Symptoms Angry or irritable mood: Often losing temper Often touchy or easily annoyed Often angry or...

Conduct Disorder

Bullying, hurting animals, and lying for no reason are all signs of Conduct Disorder. In younger kids, Conduct Disorder starts with pushing, hitting, and biting. In older kids, conduct disorder can come with more extreme violent behavior and/or crimes like stealing, destroying things, and setting...

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

What are the symptoms of ADHD? Symptoms of ADHD are divided into two groups: inattentive behaviors, and hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Symptoms of Inattention Symptoms of Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Not giving close attention, missing details, or making...

Substance Use Disorders

Kids and teens use substances for a variety of reasons. They may begin because of curiosity and peer pressure. Often, those who become habitual users are trying to “solve a problem.” Substances can help them relax, alleviate boredom, fit in socially, escape emotional or physical pain, deal with...

Enuresis

What are the symptoms of Enuresis? The main sign that a child has Enuresis is regularly peeing in their clothing or bed at age 5 years or older (it is common for younger children to have poor bladder control). The frequency of a child’s urination results in problems in school, at home, and/or in...

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