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Child Mental Health

Insights on supporting children's emotional wellbeing—recognizing early signs, understanding development, and knowing when to seek help. Written by the Young Sprouts Therapy team for parents and caregivers across Thornhill, Vaughan, and Ontario.

15 articles

Latest Blog

Latest Blog

Teen sitting at an exam desk looking tense, a common sign of test anxiety before final exams
AnxietySchool & LearningChild Mental HealthParentingTest Anxiety

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Exam Nerves or Test Anxiety? When to Worry About Your Teen Before January Exams

Stomach aches, blanking on tests, skipping exam day. How to tell normal exam nerves from test anxiety in teens, and what helps under Ontario's new exam rules.

Frustrated child erasing homework over and over, a common sign of perfectionism in kids
AnxietyChild Mental HealthSchool & LearningParentingPerfectionism

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Is My Child a Perfectionist? Signs, Hidden Costs, and When to Get Help

Tears over small mistakes, all-nighters, a 92 that feels like failure. How to spot unhealthy perfectionism in kids and teens, and what actually helps.

Parent comforting an upset child who may be getting bullied at school
Child Mental HealthSchool & LearningAnxietyParentingBullying

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Is My Child Being Bullied? Signs, What to Do, and When to Get Help

The quiet signs of bullying, what to say, how to work with your child's school in Ontario, and when bullying becomes a mental health concern.

Parent comforting a grieving child on the couch at home in Vaughan
Trauma & GriefChild Mental HealthParentingGriefArt Therapy

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Is My Child's Grief Normal? A Therapist's Guide for Ontario Parents

How kids grieve at every age, what's normal, and the signs it's time for help. A Vaughan therapist's guide with holiday scripts and Ontario supports.

Child drawing with dark crayons at a kitchen table, a common moment that leaves parents wondering what it means
Child Mental HealthParentingAnxietyArt TherapyKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Should I Worry About My Child's Drawings? What an Art Therapist Looks For

Monsters, blood, or only black crayon? An art therapist explains what kids' drawings really mean, what to say, and when a drawing is worth a closer look.

Parent hugging children at home, a safe space for self-regulation after school
School & LearningParentingChild Mental HealthMental HealthKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Your Child's Report Card Says "Needs Improvement" in Self-Regulation. Here's What That Actually Means

Your child's report card says "needs improvement" in self-regulation. A child therapist explains what that rating actually means, and what helps.

Child playing a wooden xylophone beside an adult holding a hand drum in a calm playroom, illustrating music-based sensory regulation for autistic children
Child Mental HealthParentingAutismMusic TherapySensory Processing

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Music Therapy for Autism Meltdowns: An At-Home Regulation Toolkit

A practical, evidence-informed toolkit for using music to help an autistic child regulate before, during and after a meltdown, plus Ontario-specific support options.

Young child gently singing while holding a small egg shaker in a warm therapy playroom, illustrating how autistic children may use song before speech
Child Mental HealthParentingAutismMusic TherapyCommunication

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Why Your Autistic Child Can Sing But Not Talk (And How to Turn Songs Into Words)

Your child sings every word of a favourite song, then goes quiet when they need something. Here is why that happens, and how to build spoken words out of the singing they already have.

Elementary-aged child gripping a pencil tightly while writing at a desk, illustrating handwriting difficulty and possible dysgraphia
School & LearningChild Mental HealthParentingOccupational TherapySchool

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Messy Handwriting or Dysgraphia? How Ontario Parents Can Tell the Difference

Is your child's messy handwriting a problem? A Vaughan pediatric OT explains what's normal by grade, the four causes of handwriting trouble, and how to get help in Ontario.

Young boy seen from behind covering his ear with one hand, illustrating sound sensitivity and sensory processing challenges in autism
Child Mental HealthSchool & LearningParentingAutismSensory Processing

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy for Children with Autism: What the Evidence Really Says

Does sensory integration therapy help children with autism? An honest look at what the research supports, what it doesn't, and how responsible pediatric OT uses it.

Mother crouches to eye level to speak gently with her young daughter holding a stuffed animal, illustrating supportive parenting for a highly sensitive child
Mental HealthParentingAnxietyChild Mental HealthKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

The Highly Sensitive Child: Signs, Strengths & How to Parent Without Walking on Eggshells (A Vaughan Therapist's Guide)

Does your child feel everything deeply? Learn the signs of a highly sensitive child, how to tell it apart from anxiety, and how Vaughan parents can help them thrive.

Discouraged school-age child sitting alone, illustrating rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) in children
ADHDChild Mental HealthParentingEmotional RegulationKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Children: Signs, Scripts, and When to Get Help

With rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), small criticism can feel unbearable to a child. A Vaughan therapist explains the signs, its ADHD link, and what to say in the moment.

Young child lying quietly on a couch with a withdrawn, subdued expression
AnxietyChild Mental HealthParentingMental HealthKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Selective Mutism in Children: When Your Child Talks at Home but Won't Speak at School

Does your child talk freely at home but go silent at school? Learn the signs, causes, and treatment of selective mutism, plus find help in Ontario.

A child therapist and young boy drawing together at a table with building blocks nearby — supportive, child-centred care for childhood OCD and anxiety in Vaughan, Ontario
Mental HealthAnxietyChild Mental HealthOCDKids

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Signs of OCD in Children: What Parents Often Miss (Beyond Handwashing)

OCD in kids often looks nothing like handwashing. A Vaughan therapist explains hidden signs of childhood OCD, the family accommodation trap, and ERP treatment.

Young girl daydreaming at her desk — a common but missed sign of ADHD in girls
Child Mental HealthADHDKidsAssessmentsVaughan

By Young Sprouts Therapy |

Signs of ADHD in Girls: What Parents and Teachers Often Miss

ADHD in girls is often missed because it doesn't look like the "classic" boy presentation. A Vaughan therapist explains the signs, masking, and what to do next.