Emergency Mental Healt Situations
An emergency mental healt situation can affect anyone – also children and young adults – just lika a „physical“ emergency. We differentiate between acute episodes of mental illness, acute suicidal tendency and acute mental symptoms without mental ilness. In the case of adolescents, a psychological exceptional situation within the context of a drug consumption is also to be considered. Special mention should be made of the breath holding spellf, which can occur in young children (especially between 6 months and 4 years).
Symptoms are
- Deep sadness or hopelessness
- Sudden weeping
- Retreat, avoid contact, inattention
- Anxiety, hallucinations
- Strongly Intensified Breathing (Hyperventilation)
- Breath holding spell: Short unconsciousness after loud screaming or crying
First Aid Measures
- Take care of the patient (do not leave them on their own) and try making conversation with them
- Do not leave children alone, comfort them
- Consult a medical expert
- With hyperventilation: get their attention (if necessary, using pain stimulus), followed by talking to them calmly and asking them to breathe slower (talking down)
Also note
A child, which finds itself in a physical emergency simultaneously always is in a mental emergency. Empathy and calming therefore is a very important component of first aid in this situation.
Breath-holding spells develop out of an emotional overload of the toddler, are very impressive and medically completely harmless.
Advanced subjects
Hyperventilation