Clinical Portal 2026Dr. Murali Gopal
Parent guide

Bullying and Cyberbullying

A calm, non-blaming response helps protect safety, dignity, school attendance, and mental wellbeing.

Parent GuidePublished

Dr. Murali Gopal

Senior Paediatrician & Paediatric Pulmonologist
MCR: 57489
MBBS, DCH(UK), MRCPCH(UK), FRCPCH(UK), CCT Paediatrics (UK), Fellow in Paediatric Pulmonology (Aus), Allergology (Ind)
Last reviewed: 17 June 2026

Bullying is not the child's fault. Children and teenagers need adults to listen, protect, and work together.

What parents should know

Bullying may be physical, verbal, social, or online. Cyberbullying can continue outside school hours and may involve messages, images, exclusion, rumours, threats, or unsafe contact.

This guide does not provide legal advice, investigation instructions, or a promise about school actions. It helps parents respond safely and seek appropriate support.

Signs parents may notice

  • Sudden reluctance to attend school, travel by usual route, or use a phone.
  • Lost items, unexplained injuries, stomach aches, headaches, sleep change, or falling marks.
  • Withdrawal, tearfulness, anger after being online, secrecy, or deleting accounts.
  • Low confidence, self-blame, body-image distress, or social isolation.

Practical parent steps

Listen first and slow the situation down. A teenager may fear losing the phone, being blamed, or things getting worse.
  • Thank your teenager for telling you and ask what would help them feel safer now.
  • Save relevant messages or screenshots if doing so is safe and does not increase distress.
  • Contact the school calmly with dates, patterns, and safety concerns.
  • Review privacy settings, blocking, reporting tools, and trusted adults for online spaces.
  • Seek professional support if mood, sleep, school attendance, or safety is affected.

When urgent help is needed

Seek urgent medical, mental-health, safeguarding, school, or emergency help if safety is at risk:
  • Self-harm talk, suicidal thoughts, severe distress, threats, assault, sexual exploitation concern, coercion, or immediate danger.
  • School refusal, panic, severe withdrawal, or inability to function at home or school.
  • Unsafe contact from adults or strangers, sharing of private images, blackmail, or threats of violence.

Important facts for parents

  • Taking the phone away as punishment may stop a teenager from asking for help next time.
  • Do not encourage retaliation or public shaming.
  • Parents do not need to solve everything alone; school and professional support may be needed.

Medical disclaimer

General education only This guide does not replace medical consultation, mental-health assessment, safeguarding assessment, emergency care, legal advice, school investigation, or individualized support by qualified professionals. Seek urgent help if immediate safety concerns are present. This guide has been clinician reviewed.

References

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org. Bullying prevention and response guidance.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bullying prevention resources.
  3. NICE. Guidance relevant to mental wellbeing, abuse, and safeguarding recognition.
  4. Raising Children Network. Bullying and cyberbullying parent resources.
  5. Indian school safety and government child protection resources.

Last reviewed: 17 June 2026.

© Dr. Murali Gopal | For Patient Education Only This educational material is intended for parent and patient education. Reproduction, redistribution, or modification without permission is not allowed.

Medical review

Reviewed byDr. Murali Gopal

Last reviewed17 June 2026

Medical review statusClinician reviewed

ReferencesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics / HealthyChildren.org bullying guidance; CDC bullying prevention resources; NICE guidance relevant to mental wellbeing and safeguarding; Raising Children Network bullying resources; Indian school safety and government child protection resources.

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This parent guide is for general education only and does not replace consultation with your child’s paediatrician. Please seek medical care urgently if your child appears seriously unwell, has breathing difficulty, poor feeding, dehydration, altered responsiveness, or if you are worried.