Social, emotional, and mental health are important markers of development in children and allow them to create healthy relationships, work with others, and lead fulfilling lives.
Different-aged children will have different indicators of social and emotional health. Here are common signs of good social and emotional health to look for in children from birth to age 8.
Birth to 12 months:
12 to 18 months:
18 months to 3 years:
3 to 5 years:
5 to 8 years:
If you’re worried that your child is not showing some of the signs of social and emotional health, remember that all children develop at different paces. Check in with your family paediatrician for further resources on child developmental support.
From around 9 years of age onwards, children start to experience the desire to discover who they are independent of their parents.
Some common changes you may notice in your pre-teen (9-13) or teenager (13-18) include:
As a parent, you can support healthy emotional and social growth for your pre-teen or teen by modelling behaviour for them, opening up to your child, listening to and validating their feelings, welcoming their friends, talking about sex in a way that shows you are not judging them, and praising positive behaviours.
Social and emotional health is crucial to prepare children to learn in a classroom setting and to succeed outside of the classroom. A child with good social and emotional health will be able to collaborate, make friends, regulate their emotions, communicate their needs, and care about the needs of others.
A socially and emotionally healthy child is more likely to be able to focus, follow instructions, and come up with creative solutions to problems.
Mental health in children is closely linked to social and emotional health milestones. Mental health disorders in children typically involve behavioural, learning, or social issues. How a mental disorder presents in a child changes over time, but any abnormalities in how a child socialises, learns, behaves, or is able to express and regulate their emotions may indicate an underlying issue.
Commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), Tourette’s Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), autism, and developmental disabilities.
Childhood mental disorders are treatable and manageable. When working to manage a mental disorder in your child, enlist the help of a team that includes anyone who works with your child, including teachers, extended family members, and a therapist who specialises in child mental healthcare.