Infant Mental Health... What is it?
Upon telling people I am an Infant Mental Health Practitioner, I'm often met with quizzical looks and responses such as, “Infants can’t have mental health problems!”. This response is common and highlights that while discussions around mental health for adolescents and adults are taking place, there is a need for more emphasis and awareness around Infant Mental Health. So, what is Infant Mental Health? Infant Mental Health is mainly related to how infants experience their world. It is underpinned by the importance of early relationships and the influence they have on all aspects of a child’s development across their lifespan. The focus here is on the developing attachment relationship between the infant and their primary caregiver (and other prominent relationships).
This template of a relationship will impact the child’s developmental outcomes and affect how they experience intimate relationships in the future.
How do I recognise issues that may be emerging within the relationship with my infant?
So how can you recognise the issues that might be impacting your relationship with your baby? Such issues will likely present themselves through feeding, sleeping, and crying - which is not surprising given infants spend a lot of time engaging in these activities in the early months.
In order to seek the most effective and relevant assistance, the caregiver should firstly consider whether there are any underlying organic issues affecting the infant, such as medical illnesses, health conditions related to pregnancy, prematurity and complications during delivery etc., These need to be addressed and thus eliminated by a health professional such as a doctor, paediatrician or a child health nurse before considering whether there is a relational issue emerging. Relational issues describe problems that may emerge within the developing relationship between carer and infant.
It may be all that is needed is to confirm an infant’s behaviour is typical throughout the varying stages of development with some gentle reassurance, developmental guidance, and suggestions regarding routines to help settle your baby. However, if concerns continue it may suggest issues are emerging within the relationship. If this is the case, further intervention may be required and consulting an Infant Mental Health Practitioner is a good option for assistance.
What Factors Might Be Influencing My Infant’s Mental Health?
There are many influences (biological, psychological, and social) that affect the newly forming relationship and ultimately, the development of a secure attachment relationship between the infant and primary caregiver. It is, therefore, essential to perform a thorough assessment, reflecting on the social and developmental history of the infant and the family. As an Infant Mental Health Practitioner, this is the information that I look for to formulate what is happening and why. Doing so sheds light on the factors (both risk and protective) that may influence the caregiver’s capacity to respond sensitively and consistently to their infant’s needs.
Risk factors relate to things that may negatively affect infant mental health, such as:
Poverty
Parent mental ill health
Homelessness
Parental substance misuse
Social isolation
Family and domestic violence.
Protective factors relate to things that may positively impact infant mental health, such as:
Healthy family relationships
Support networks
Access to relevant services
Medical support
Willingness to engage in help
The Importance of Early Intervention
Early intervention is essential in order to address any emerging issues in the caregiver/infant relationship that may be affecting the infant’s mental health. Interventions aim to promote sensitive caregiving and positive interactions between the caregiver and infant.
All interactions with your child may be impacted by your own experience of being parented. Making sense of this will enable you to pause and override how you might’ve instinctively chosen to respond and instead, respond in a healthier way. The likelihood of a secure attachment relationship and positive developmental outcomes is dramatically increased when the infant learns the parent can be relied upon to sensitively meet their needs. Consulting with an Infant Mental Health Practitioner can be beneficial in accessing the necessary assistance to support achieving this.
Infant Mental Health - Increasing Awareness and Support
The Australian government have recently pledged to invest $16.6 million into nine new projects as part of the Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program.
This funding will support projects that are working to improve the current gaps in national perinatal mental health services, education and training. Expectant and new parents who are experiencing or at risk of perinatal mental illness or infant related grief will benefit greatly from the increased support and awareness around these issues.
"It is estimated that up to one in ten women experience depression while pregnant, and one in seven women in the year after birth. Men can also experience perinatal mental illness, with approximately one in ten expectant and new fathers experiencing depression, anxiety or other forms of emotional distress in the perinatal period.”
(Hunt, 2021)
Increasing awareness of the importance of infant mental health and investing in early intervention is vital to support healthy family functioning and positive outcomes for children in the future.
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) helpline (1300 726 306), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), Lifeline (13 11 14), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health (www.headtohealth.gov.au).
Hunt, G. (2021, June 6). $16.6 million investment for Perinatal Mental Health Services. Greg Hunt. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.greghunt.com.au/16-6-million-investment-for-perinatal-mental-health-services/
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