How do I tell if my child needs therapy?

Indian parents often ask this in shame — as if needing therapy is a parenting failure. It is not. Roughly 1 in 7 adolescents worldwide has a diagnosable mental-health condition, and untreated childhood issues cost far more later than early help does now.

Red flags

Sudden drop in school performance. Withdrawal from friends they used to like. Sleeping much more or much less. Loss of interest in things they used to love. Frequent stomach aches or headaches with no medical cause. Any self-harm marks, or words like 'I wish I wasn't here,' 'you'd be better off without me,' or unusual interest in death.

Where to start

A child and adolescent psychiatrist or clinical psychologist with paediatric training. Many Indian schools now have a counsellor — they can do the first screening and refer. If you cannot access either, Tele-MANAS (14416) has paediatric-trained counsellors and is free. Bring the child in for the first visit; do not talk about them without them present.