Addiction to video games such as the massively popular Fortnite is now classed as a mental health issue, but would you be able to tell if your child was hooked?

Compulsively playing video games now qualifies as a mental condition, the World Health Organisation has said.

In its latest revision to an international disease classification manual, the UN health agency said that classifying 'gaming disorder' as a separate condition will "serve a public health purpose for countries to be better prepared to identify this issue".

However, Dr Joan Harvey, a spokeswoman for the British Psychological Society, warned the new designation might cause unnecessary concern among parents, and said only a minority of gamers would be affected.

So what are the signs that your child is addicted to gaming?

Mood shifts - If your child goes from anxious and cranky to calm and relaxed once they start playing a game then this could be a sign that there is a problem.

Withdrawal - If you took the game away from them for a couple of days, would your child become very angry and frustrated? These are signs of someone withdrawing from something they are addicted to.

Preoccupation - If your child eats, sleeps and talks about video games when not actively playing one then this is a sign of obsession, they literally cannot stop thinking about it.

Do they have repetitive strain injury? Are they having eye problems? Sore fingers? Neck problems? - These are all signs that they are spending too much time on the game.

Isolation - Do they lack friends at school and home? Some children are so preoccupied with getting home to play games that they lose all social skills and lose friends.

What can you do to help your child?

Addiction is treatable but it will be tough, like any disorder of this nature. There are lots of people who can help you out. You could see your GP for advice or contact organisation that specialises in helping people. Therapy is a useful way of curbing an addiction and sometimes medicine can help.

For more information you can also go to video-game-addiction.org and On-Line Gamers Anonymous and addiction.com