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Prevention and Treatment
Our aim must be not only to treat cases as early as possible but to
prevent the condition arising. Cases come to light in different ways.
The parents may seek advice from various social agencies for morbid
symptoms in their children, but parents are just as likely to dismiss the
evidence with some such phrase as "She'll grow out of it", or "He is
just like his Dad". Apart from the child's parents, Heallh Visitors
who have entry into homes and watch over a child's development from
an early age, are potentially the most important agents for discovering
maladjustment in children of pre-school age, and since children above
the age of five years spend most of the day at school, teachers have a
better opportunity than anyone, again excepting the parents, to acquaint
themselves with these children who are emotionally disturbed. Teachers
and others, even these with tolerance of and the capacity to understand
difficult behaviour should realise the limitations of what they can do
on their own, and should be aware of the facilities which are available
for providing advice and guidance in such cases and be ready to call for
help when required, because expert and cautious interpstation and
advice is indispensable if mental illness in later life is to be averted,
and much may depend on the making of a correct diagnesis.
The work demands much patient endeavour and there are many
disappointments. The condition once established may run several
courses. Recovery may be complete, or it may drift to chronicity,
progression, or remission with relapses. Factors which may influence
the course would include:—
(a) Age—It is generally recognised that little can be one to treat
the established adult case of long standing, 2nd the more
pronounced the maladjustment becomes in children the more
difficult it is to treat and cure the condition. Young children
are more adaptable and responsive, and a that can more
readily be given to their energies which will Gult in their
being socially better adapted and better able to deal with their
problems.
(b) Intelligence—Children of average or high intelligence
respond better than those of inferior intellect because use they can
better grasp the factors which created the problem and the
adjustments they must make to come to terms with it-
(c) Onset—An abrupt onset is more favourable than in a gradual
onset which may indicate a rooted abnormality that will be
hard to shift.
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