Does your child have frequent headaches and stomach aches, especially on school days? It may not be a sign of physical illness. It might be a sign that your child is being bullied. Some other signs of bullying include trouble sleeping, lower grades and feelings of helplessness, according to www.stopbullying.gov.  

Keep the lines of communication open between you and your child so that your child feels comfortable talking to you about any troubles with other children that may be occurring during lunch, recess or on the bus. Sometimes your child may not feel comfortable talking to you and may feel more comfortable talking to a therapist. Sometimes when children are being bullied, they may feel hopeless or could even engage in dangerous self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or becoming suicidal.

If your child is having trouble with bullies, there are resources available to help. TRICARE recently reduced outpatient co-payments it previously had on mental health care to reduce barriers that TRICARE beneficiaries may have to the care they need. Some of the covered treatments include individual and family therapies. Learn more at www.tricare.mil/mentalhealthcare.

If your child, or anyone in your family, does have a mental health emergency, then remember to call 9-1-1 or take them to the nearest emergency room for care.

You should check in with your child periodically to make sure that he or she is neither a bully nor being bullied. Contrary to popular belief, those who bully others don’t have to be physically bigger or stronger than those whom they are bullying. For more information and resources check out www.stopbullying.gov.