Mental Health and Safeguarding

Question 1

What are some signs of antenatal depression?

Answer 1

• Difficulty coping
• Poor eye contact
• Lack of emotional response
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headaches
• Frequently tearful
• Lack of hygiene

Question 2

What is the toxic trio?

Answer 2

1. MH issues
2. Domestic abuse
3. Drug/ alcohol abuse

Question 3

What does perinatal mean?

Answer 3

From conception to 1 year after birth

Question 4

Give some examples of anxiety disorders

Answer 4

• Generalised anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Tokophobia
• OCD
• PTSD

Question 5

What are some of the symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder?

Answer 5

• Nervousness
• Fatigue
• Apprehension or dread
• Inability to tolerate uncertainty
• Difficulty concentrating
• N+V

Question 6

What is tokophobia?

Answer 6

Extreme fear of childbirth

Question 7

What are some of the symptoms of OCD?

Answer 7

• Obsessions/ intrusive thoughts
• Repeating actions
• Fear of being left alone with the baby
• Hyper vigilance in protecting the baby
• Loss of appetite

Question 8

What are some of the symptoms of PTSD?

Answer 8

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Intrusive memories and flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Depression

Question 9

What is bipolar disorder?

Answer 9

Experiencing episodes of mania or depression frequently

Question 10

What are some of the symptoms of mania?

Answer 10

• Increased energy
• Loss of inhibitions
• Delusions of grandeur
• Euphoric mood
• Irritability
• Rapid speech

Question 11

Give 3 examples of eating disorders

Answer 11

1. Anorexia
2. Bulimia
3. Binge eating disorder

Question 12

What are some of the characteristics of anorexia?

Answer 12

• Restricting food intake
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Low body weight achieved by restricting food/ forcibly vomiting

Question 13

What is bulimia?

Answer 13

Recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensation of weight gain (e.g. vomiting)

Question 14

What are some of the characteristics of binge eating disorder?

Answer 14

• Eating large amounts of food
• Eating more rapidly than normal
• Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
• Eating when not hungry
• Feeling guilty after eating

Question 15

What are some red flags that may indicate admission to a MBU?

Answer 15

• Significant changes in mental state
• New thoughts/ acts of violence or self-harm
• New feelings of incompetency as a mother or estrangement from the infant

Question 16

What is the main cause of baby blues?

Answer 16

Inability of the body to adjust to the rapid fall in oestrogen and progesterone after delivery

Question 17

What is safeguarding level 1?

Answer 17

Green:

• Previous safeguarding concerns
• Monitor closely

Question 18

What is safeguarding level 2?

Answer 18

Amber:

- Early help (involve 1 other agency)

Question 19

What is safeguarding level 3?

Answer 19

Amber:

• Child in need
• Multi-disciplinary
• Social worker required
• e.g. emotional abuse

Question 20

What is safeguarding level 4?

Answer 20

Red:

• Child protection plan
• New safeguarding concerns
• e.g. visible bruising, concealed pregnancy - affects baby as well as mum

Question 21

When is it acceptable to share safeguarding information without consent?

Answer 21

• Child at risk (e.g. drugs or physical abuse)

- Threat to life (e.g. suicide planning)