Serious emotional disorders (SED) mean the presence of recognizable behavioral, or emotional disorder that impair function and interferes with the child’s functioning in family, school, or community activities. SEDs affect many children and interfere with their daily lives. People with this condition have inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. Also, people with SEDs may also exhibit inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers, have inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances, a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal problems.

Children diagnosed with serious emotional disorders include hyperactivity, a short attention span and impulsiveness, aggression or self-injurious behavior such as acting out or fighting, withdrawal, a failure to initiate interaction with others or avoid social interactions through fear or anxiety, immaturity characterized by inappropriate crying and temper tantrums, and poor coping skills and learning difficulties exhibited by academic performance below grade level. Many children who do not have emotional disturbances may display some of these behaviors at various times during their development. However, when these behaviors continue over long periods of time, those children may have serious emotional disturbances and their behavior is signaling that they are not coping with their environment. 

Although the definition of SED in children is restricted to persons up to age 18, it is recognized that some states extend this age range to persons less than age 22. Emotional disorders through talk therapy and psychotherapy. Talk therapy can help you identify and change unhealthy patterns in your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Emotional regulation training such as impulse control, anger management, anxiety and depression management, coping with trauma, and increasing frustration tolerance can also be used. Behavioral supports is needed by SED patients.