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When children need medical care and who to contact

Dr. Yuval Raveh, A specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry and director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at the Ministry of Health
15 July 2026

Some warning signs may indicate that a child is experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties that require professional support. These include:

  • Sudden changes in behavior: For example, an outgoing child who becomes withdrawn and quiet, or a typically calm child who becomes unusually defiant.
  • Declining daily functioning: A drop in school performance, difficulties with friends, or avoiding social activities or extracurricular programs.
  • Regression: Returning to behaviors typical of a younger age, such as bedwetting or becoming unusually clingy with parents.
  • Changes in sleep or appetite: Significant changes in sleeping or eating habits.
  • Physical complaints: Frequent headaches or stomachaches with no medical cause.
  • New high-risk behaviors: Self-harm or talking about suicide.

Important: If a child shows severe warning signs, such as suicidal thoughts, dangerous behaviors, or dropping out of school, seek immediate professional help without delay. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room.

Who should you contact for an evaluation?

You can start by consulting a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, or a pediatrician or school counselor. A psychologist is often the right choice for milder concerns, while more complex conditions may require care from both a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

Mental health exists on a broad spectrum. Most thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are part of normal development, while some may indicate a mental health condition that requires professional care. Because emotional and behavioral changes vary widely among children, it can be difficult to tell when a concern is a normal response and when it is a warning sign that calls for a professional evaluation. For example, a child who has experienced a significant loss may naturally feel sad. However, if the low mood and difficulty functioning continue for more than two weeks, a mental health evaluation may be needed.

Signs of mental health conditions in children

Many signs of mental health conditions can also occur as part of typical childhood development. However, they may require attention if they are severe, persist over time, or several symptoms occur together.

For example: Restlessness is common in children, especially before exciting events such as a birthday. Impulsive behavior or not listening to parents or school staff can also be part of normal childhood. However, if a child remains consistently restless for two weeks or longer, is frequently distracted, or impulsivity becomes a persistent pattern of behavior, a professional evaluation is recommended.

Types of mental health challenges and conditions in children

  • Eating disorders
  • Self-harm and suicidal behavior
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD)
  • Mood disorders
  • Anxiety and avoidant behavior
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Communication difficulties and autism
  • Intellectual developmental disability (IDD)
  • Substance abuse
  • Schizophrenia
  • Tic disorders
  • Characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Impaired functioning and dropping out of the education system
  • Eating disorders: A condition that requires urgent intervention by a multidisciplinary team, including support from a dietitian, a psychotherapist who also provides guidance to parents, a psychiatrist, and a pediatrician. It is important to note that only professionals with specialized training and experience in this field can provide effective, reliable, and professional treatment.
  • Self-harm and suicidal behavior: An extreme expression of distress that indicates an emergency situation. In cases of suicide risk, an urgent evaluation in an emergency room is required.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).
  • Mood disorders, including depression and mania (elevated mood, increased activity, and an inflated sense of self).
  • Anxiety and avoidant behavior.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  • Communication difficulties and autism spectrum disorder.
  • Intellectual developmental disability (IDD).
  • Substance misuse.
  • Schizophrenia.
  • Tic disorders.
  • Characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as restlessness, impulsivity, and distractibility: A common condition that is not severe, but may affect academic achievement and social life.
  • Impaired functioning and dropping out of the education system due to mental health difficulties: A nonspecific sign of many mental health conditions. It is considered a serious concern because of its impact on the child’s developmental process.

Important to know

Important to know

A disorder is a mental health condition that meets the criteria defined for a specific disorder. Mental health conditions can appear differently from one child to another, and different symptoms may indicate an underlying mental health difficulty.

Warning signs of mental health difficulties that require treatment

For example, a child who constantly talks back to teachers and suddenly becomes quiet, unresponsive, and stops acting out, unlike their usual behavior. Alternatively, a child who is usually compliant and has no history of defiance or opposition may suddenly start talking back, having outbursts, and challenging boundaries.

When a child suddenly stops functioning socially, academically, or in activities outside of school. For example, the child stops attending classes at school, experiences a sudden drop in grades, or avoids social gatherings, extracurricular activities, and other settings that require participation and functioning.

It may appear as signs of developmental regression, such as returning to bedwetting or becoming attached to parents after previously being independent.

A significant change in these areas is a warning sign. For example, a child who previously had no sleep problems and suddenly has difficulties sleeping, stops eating, starts eating much more than usual, or sleeps for many more hours than usual.

Common complaints include stomachaches and headaches. It is important to first consult a healthcare professional to rule out a medical cause. If no medical findings explain the symptoms, it is recommended to explore possible emotional or mental health factors.

Such as self-harm and talking about suicide.

When to seek mental health care for children

If you are concerned about thoughts your child has shared with you or about certain behaviors, it is recommended that you consult your family doctor or pediatrician. In general, whenever you have concerns, it is best to seek guidance from a healthcare professional and have your child evaluated.

Symptoms that require immediate evaluation

If one or more of the following symptoms appear, they require immediate attention and should be addressed without delay:

  • Signs of suicidal behavior, which you can read about here, especially writing a goodbye letter, searching online for suicide methods, or sharing a suicide plan with a friend.
  • Risk-taking behaviors, especially preparing means for suicide, such as collecting pills or obtaining a rope. It is important to know that a suicidal act, even without suicidal intent, can be fatal.
  • Sexual behaviors that are not age-appropriate in young children.
  • Dropping out of educational settings and impaired academic or social functioning (or both) require evaluation, but not necessarily immediate intervention.
  • Withdrawal and lack of communication with friends or responsible adults.
  • Spending an unusually long time on screens compared with the child’s typical screen use habits.

Important: In emergency situations, always go to an emergency room without delay.

Evaluating mental health difficulties

If a child is experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties, it is important to seek an evaluation from an accessible professional in one of the following fields: psychology, psychiatry, pediatrics, or school counseling. These professionals should be able to guide parents and refer them to the appropriate specialist for their child’s needs.

Parent guidance

Parent guidance is recommended for every child receiving treatment. It helps involve parents in the treatment process, explain the child’s difficulties, provide appropriate coping tools, and reinforce progress made during treatment. The younger the child, the more significant parent guidance becomes, and in some cases it may even serve as an alternative to direct treatment with the child.

Which professional does my child need?

A general guideline: Psychological treatment is usually suitable for concerns that are more "mild" and cause partial impairment in functioning. More complex difficulties, where symptoms significantly affect functioning, may require psychiatric intervention. In many cases, and perhaps most cases, a combination of psychological and psychiatric care is needed.

It is important to know that psychological treatment for children can be provided by psychologists, social workers, and art therapists with a master’s degree who have completed appropriate training.

You can seek help from different professionals depending on the child’s age:

Under age 6

You can contact the preschool staff (each preschool has an assigned psychologist) or early childhood clinics. The Ministry of Education operates the Psychological Counseling Service (Shefi) and local or regional support centers (Matya) that operate through local authorities.

Age 6 and over

School staff, Ministry of Education services (Shefi and Matya), HMO mental health clinics, or government mental health clinics for children and adolescents.

In urgent cases – at any age

In urgent cases, go to an emergency room for a risk assessment and initial recommendations. Evaluating a child requires consent from both parents and, for adolescents aged 15 and older, the adolescent’s own consent. If consent is not provided, an emergency evaluation order can be requested from a Youth Law social worker in the child’s area of residence.

Important to know

Important to know

There are different types of psychotherapy, which you can read about here. However, in all types of therapy, one of the most important factors is the relationship between the therapist and the person receiving treatment. When a strong therapeutic relationship is established, treatment is more likely to be effective.

When to seek mental health care for children

If you are concerned about thoughts your child has shared with you or about certain behaviors, it is recommended that you consult your family doctor or pediatrician. In general, whenever you have concerns, it is best to seek guidance from a professional and have your child evaluated.

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