Mental health in children is often overlooked — yet, as Prof. Rajesh Sagar from the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS-Delhi reminds us, it is one of the most crucial aspects of a child’s development. “Children are the future of our country. Their mental wellbeing determines the adults they will become,” he said, stressing that emotional issues in childhood can quietly shape a person’s entire life.

Unlike many physical illnesses, which may resolve without long-term harm, childhood mental health problems can disrupt the very foundations of growth. “These are the years when children learn academic, social and multiple life skills. When something goes wrong in this sensitive phase, it can echo far into adulthood,” Prof. Sagar explained.

And the data is sobering. Research shows that more than 50 percent of adult mental health disorders begin before the age of 14 — a finding that exposes a worrying truth about what experts call hidden morbidity: psychological challenges that start early but remain unnoticed until much later.

Despite this reality, the treatment gap in India is staggering. Nearly 80 to 90 percent of children with mental health issues receive no treatment at all. In a country where 40 percent of the population is young, this gap is not just alarming — it’s unacceptable.

Why is the gap so wide? Prof. Sagar points to multiple barriers: stigma, limited awareness, and a severe shortage of child mental health services across India. Although the government has introduced several initiatives, including wellness programs under the Ministry of Education, access remains uneven and often inadequate.

Adding to the challenge is the rapid transformation of childhood itself. “Today’s children are growing up in nuclear families, facing academic pressure, intense competition, and constant exposure to smartphones,” he said. Technology, while connecting children more than ever, has also introduced emotional strain, body image anxieties, relationship conflicts, and a surge in cyberbullying.

“Bullying — whether on school premises, in buses, or online — is one of the biggest risk factors for poor mental health. Some children cope, but many cannot. It affects their studies, their relationships and their behaviour,” he added.

Prof. Sagar urges parents to rethink their approach to achievement. “Marks are not everything. Life is not all about marks. What matters more are life skills, resilience, hobbies, and personal strengths.” He encouraged parents and schools to stop comparing children and instead pay closer attention to behavioural cues — even those hidden in the school report card’s remarks section.

Oversensitivity, emotional struggles, and behavioural patterns often take root quietly in childhood, evolving into hidden morbidity in adulthood if left unaddressed.

Prof. Sagar’s message is clear: children need more than academic support — they need emotional nurturing, understanding, and accessible mental health care. Strengthening awareness, improving services, and creating supportive environments are not just helpful steps — they are essential to safeguarding the mental wellbeing of India’s next generation.