How do you know if your child has a mental illness? I have been BP my whole life and was diagnosed only one year ago. I had been anxious to depression and now low and behold the big one BP! My son is very shy unlike myself. It all started when he was 1. He was scared and would be terrified if you made him walk over a bridge or ride a bike near one. It took 4 years and now he will. Summer of 2005 he choked on a nickel and that took till this summer to keep him from freaking out when children would put things in there mouth. I mean like a panic attack. That to me was like o.k. this could be understandable so I let that pass. Now at the age of six after the nickel he is now afraid of being lost. Everywhere we go if he can't see me he is crying. If I go in the sitters and I am in there too long and he is in the car he cries. He stood on the football field and was crying last week in the middle of practice because I wasn't in my chair. I would say he does this at least three times a week. And he'll want to talk about it "If I can't find you what will happen". Is this normal or is it my anxiety trying to make something up? I dread thinking that he would ever have this disease or anything that comes with it. I hide most everything from my kids so my son has never seen me have a anxiety attack. Any advise