Children and Mental Illness

About 20% of American children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness during a given year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Further, nearly 5 million American children and adolescents suffer from a serious mental illness (one that significantly interferes with their day-to-day life).

Which Mental Illnesses Are Most Common in Children?

Children can suffer from the following mental illnesses:

    Anxiety disorders: Children with anxiety disorders respond to certain things or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety (nervousness), such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating.

    Disruptive behavior disorders: Children with these disorders tend to defy rules and often are disruptive in structured environments, such as school.

    Pervasive development disorders: Children with these disorders are confused in their thinking and generally have problems understanding the world around them.

    Eating disorders: Eating disorders involve intense emotions and attitudes, as well as unusual behaviors, associated with weight and/or food.

    Elimination disorders: These disorders affect behavior related to the elimination of body wastes (feces and urine).

    Affective (mood) disorders: These disorders involve persistent feelings of sadness and/or rapidly changing moods.

    Schizophrenia : This is a serious disorder that involves distorted perceptions and thoughts.

    Tic disorders : These disorders cause a person to perform repeated, sudden, involuntary and often meaningless movements and sounds, called tics.

What Causes Mental Illness?

The exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, but research suggests that a combination of factors, including heredity, biology, psychological trauma, and environmental stress, may be involved.

    Heredity (genetics): Mental illness tends to run in families, which means the likelihood to develop a mental disorder may be passed on from parents to their children.

    Biology: Some mental disorders have been linked to special chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other. If these chemicals are out of balance or not working properly, messages may not make it through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms.  In addition, defects or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses.

    Psychological trauma: Some mental illnesses may be triggered by psychological trauma, such as severe emotional, physical, or sexual abuse an important early loss, such as the loss of a parent or neglect.

    Environmental stress: Stressful or traumatic events can trigger a mental illness in a person with a vulnerability to a mental disorder.

How Is Mental Illness in Children Diagnosed?

As with adults, mental illnesses in children are diagnosed based on signs and symptoms that suggest a particular disorder. However, this process can be especially challenging with children. Many behaviors seen as symptoms of mental disorders can occur as a normal part of a child's development. Behaviors become symptoms when they occur very often, last a long time, occur at an unusual age or cause significant disruption to the child's and/or family's ability to function.

If symptoms are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and physical exam. If no physical illness is found, the child may be referred to a child and adolescent psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illness in children and teens.

Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a child for a mental disorder. The doctor bases his or her diagnosis on reports of the child's symptoms and his or her observation of the child's attitude and behavior. The doctor often must rely on reports from the child's parents, teachers, and other adults because children often have trouble explaining their problems or understanding their symptoms.

How Is Mental Illness in Children Treated?

Mental illnesses are like many medical disorders that require ongoing treatment. Although much progress has been made in the treatment of adults with mental disorders, experts are still exploring which treatments work best for which conditions in children. The most common treatment options used include:

    Medication: Many mental illnesses can be effectively treated with medications. The drugs often used to treat mental disorders in children include antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, stimulants, and mood stabilizing drugs.

    Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) addresses the emotional response to mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental health professionals help people deal with their illness, often by talking through strategies for understanding and dealing with their symptoms, thoughts, and behaviors.

  Creative therapies: Certain therapies, such as art therapy or play therapy, may be helpful, especially with young children who may have trouble communicating their thoughts and feelings.

Source: WebMD