Educational orientation — not a diagnosis

Child or adolescent emotional and behaviour changes

Changes at home, school or with peers should be understood in developmental context and with information from caregivers, the young person and, when appropriate, school or medical professionals.

Important safety note

Immediate danger, suicidal intent, violence, severe confusion, sudden loss of function or loss of contact with reality require urgent local emergency or medical support.

Open crisis guidance →

Common signs

What people may notice

School refusal or sudden performance decline
Frequent meltdowns, aggression or withdrawal
Sleep, eating or toileting regression
Attention, activity or learning concerns
Bullying, self-harm talk or risky online behaviour

Several possibilities

This pattern may be associated with

Anxiety, depression or adjustment difficulty

ADHD, autism or learning differences requiring specialist assessment

Family stress, bullying or trauma

Sleep, neurological or other medical conditions

This list is not exhaustive and does not establish a diagnosis.

When support may be useful

Look at persistence and impact

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Physical health and safety

What should not be overlooked

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Prepare for a useful consultation

Information worth noting

When it began and what was happening at the time.
Frequency, duration, triggers and what reduces or worsens it.
Sleep, appetite, energy, medicines, substances and medical conditions.
Effect on work, study, relationships and daily safety.

Clinical content principles

PRJI educational pages distinguish orientation from diagnosis, include physical-health cautions and direct urgent situations to local services. Content is informed by public mental-health information from WHO, NHS and NIMH and must be clinically reviewed before commercial launch.