the queues in front of a psychological counsellors office has become younger not just teenagers but even younger children are looking to psychologists for solutions to life problems earlier only when those in their middle age had serious mental problems or were reeling under the weight of a dead relationship would they go for counselling it was rare that a child would be seen occupying a psychiatrists couch but such is not the case anymore experts feels that with the spate of breakdowns and suicides that involve youngsters parents are a little scared and their fear makes them alert parents are realizing that children these days are facing severe pressure and need help says psychologist dr varkha chulani parents have realized the emotional pressure children are going through not just with their educational demands but also with relationship and peer group issues they have understood the importance of professional services for emotional ailments just like physical ailments the children need to know how to handle failures just as they take victories in their stride adds varkha these days children have to deal with sexual awakening at very early ages earlier the onset of puberty for girls was somewhere around 1415 and even later for boys girls these days begin their menstrual cycle at nine or 10 years says varkha and this is the reason why elders need to talk to them about sexual issues at an early age counselling can play an important role at this time in life says psychologist and counsellor dr seema hingorrany the fact that psychologists and counsellors are available in most schools and colleges has made the kids more open to approaching them children even think its cool to talk to a mental health professional earlier kids would be brought by their parents to psychologists but these days children even come in by themselves especially when they need help with relationshipbased issues experts say that the comfortlevel with a counsellor or psychiatrist has increased and they are even open to talking about sensitive subjects like sex when does your child need counselling when a pet or sibling who was very close to your child dies when you notice that your child gets too angry and lashes out without being provoked at all when your child is being bullied in school by other school children or children in the building when the child does not fare very well in hisher exam when you see that your child is all quiet and has stopped talking to you or other family members when your child is behaving differently when you notice himher unreasonably stressed out and unhappy