| About 20% of American children suffer from a | | | | has been made in the treatment of adults with |
| diagnosable mental illness during a given year, | | | | mental disorders, the treatment of children is not as |
| according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Further, nearly | | | | well understood. Experts are still exploring which |
| 5 million American children and adolescents suffer | | | | treatments work best for which conditions in children. |
| from a serious mental illness (one that significantly | | | | For now, many of the treatment options used for |
| interferes with their day-to-day life). | | | | children, including many medications, are the same as |
| Which Mental Illnesses Are Most Common in Children? | | | | what is used to treat adults. The most common |
| Children can suffer from the following mental illnesses: | | | | treatment options used include: |
| • Anxiety disorders: Children with anxiety | | | | • Medication: Many mental illnesses can be |
| disorders respond to certain things or situations with | | | | effectively treated with medications. The medications |
| fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of | | | | often used to treat mental disorders in children |
| anxiety (nervousness), such as a rapid heartbeat and | | | | include antipsychotics, antidepressants and antianxiety |
| sweating. | | | | drugs, stimulants and mood stabilizing drugs. |
| • Disruptive behavior disorders: Children with | | | | • Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (a type of |
| these disorders tend to defy rules and often are | | | | counseling) addresses the emotional response to |
| disruptive in structured environments, such as school. | | | | mental illness. It is a process in which trained mental |
| • Pervasive development disorders: Children | | | | health professionals help people deal with their illness, |
| with these disorders are confused in their thinking | | | | often by talking through strategies for understanding |
| and generally have problems understanding the world | | | | and dealing with their symptoms, thoughts and |
| around them. | | | | behaviors. Types of psychotherapy often used with |
| • Eating disorders: Eating disorders involve | | | | children are supportive, cognitive-behavioral, |
| intense emotions and attitudes, as well as unusual | | | | interpersonal, group and family therapy. |
| behaviors, associated with weight and/or food. | | | | • Creative therapies: Certain therapies, such |
| • Elimination disorders: These disorders | | | | as art therapy or play therapy, may be helpful, |
| affect behavior related to the elimination of body | | | | especially with young children who may have trouble |
| wastes (feces and urine). | | | | communicating their thoughts and feelings. |
| • Learning and communication disorders: | | | | What Is the Outlook for Children With Mental Illness? |
| Children with these disorders have problems storing | | | | When treated appropriately and early, many children |
| and processing information, as well as relating their | | | | can fully recover from their mental illness or |
| thoughts and ideas. | | | | successfully control their symptoms. While some |
| • Affective (mood) disorders: These | | | | children become disabled adults because of a chronic |
| disorders involve persistent feelings of sadness and | | | | or severe disorder, many people who have a mental |
| or rapidly changing moods. | | | | illness are able to live full and productive lives. |
| • Schizophrenia: This is a serious disorder | | | | It is very important to seek treatment for your child |
| that involves distorted perceptions and thoughts. | | | | if they are displaying any symptoms of mental illness. |
| • Tic disorders: These disorders cause a | | | | Without treatment, many mental disorders can |
| person to perform repeated, sudden, involuntary and | | | | continue into adulthood and lead to problems in all |
| often meaningless movements and sounds, called tics. | | | | areas of the person's adult life. People with untreated |
| Some of these illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, | | | | mental disorders are at high risk for many problems, |
| eating disorders, mood disorders and schizophrenia, | | | | including alcohol or drug abuse, and violent or |
| can occur in adults as well as children. Others, such as | | | | self-destructive behavior, even suicide. |
| behavior and development disorders, elimination | | | | What Research Is Being Done on Mental Illness in |
| disorders, and learning and communication disorders, | | | | Children? |
| begin in childhood only, although they can continue | | | | To date, most research on mental illness has |
| into adulthood. In rare cases, tic disorders can | | | | centered on mental disorders in adults. However, the |
| develop in adults. It is not unusual for a child to have | | | | mental health community has now begun to focus on |
| more than one disorder. | | | | mental illness in children. Researchers are looking at |
| What Are the Symptoms of Mental Illness in | | | | childhood development in terms of what is normal |
| Children? | | | | and abnormal, trying to understand how factors |
| Symptoms vary depending on the type of mental | | | | affecting development can have an impact on mental |
| illness, but some of the general symptoms include: | | | | health. The goal is to try to predict, and ultimately, |
| • Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol | | | | prevent, developmental problems that could lead to |
| • Inability to cope with daily problems and | | | | mental illness. A key part of this research is the |
| activities | | | | identification of risk factors -- factors that increase a |
| • Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits | | | | child's chances of developing a mental disorder. In |
| • Excessive complaints of physical ailments | | | | addition, the mental health community is calling for |
| • Defying authority, skipping school, stealing | | | | additional research on medications used to treat |
| or damaging property | | | | children with mental disorders. |
| • Intense fear of gaining weight | | | | Can Mental Illness in Children Be Prevented? |
| • Long-lasting negative moods, often | | | | Most mental disorders are caused by a combination |
| accompanied by poor appetite and thoughts of death | | | | of factors and cannot be prevented. However, if |
| • Frequent outbursts of anger | | | | symptoms are recognized and treatment is started |
| • Changes in school performance, such as | | | | early, many of the distressing and disabling effects of |
| poor grades despite good efforts | | | | a mental illness may be prevented or at least |
| • Loss of interest in friends and activities | | | | minimized. |
| they usually enjoy | | | | Mental Health: |
| • Significant increase in time spent alone | | | | Mental Illness Basics |
| • Excessive worrying or anxiety | | | | Mental illness is any disease or condition affecting the |
| • Hyperactivity | | | | brain that influence the way a person thinks, feels, |
| • Persistent nightmares | | | | behaves and/or relates to others and to his or her |
| • Persistent disobedience or aggressive | | | | surroundings. Although the symptoms of mental illness |
| behavior | | | | can vary from mild to severe and are different |
| • Frequent temper tantrums | | | | depending on the type of mental illness, a person |
| • Hearing voices or seeing things that are | | | | with an untreated mental illness often is unable to |
| not there (hallucinations) | | | | cope with life's daily routines and demands. |
| What Causes Mental Illness? | | | | What Causes Mental Illness? |
| The exact cause of most mental disorders is not | | | | Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is |
| known, but research suggests that a combination of | | | | not known, it is becoming clear through research that |
| factors, including heredity, biology, psychological | | | | many of these conditions are caused by a |
| trauma and environmental stress, may be involved. | | | | combination of genetic, biological, psychological and |
| • Heredity (genetics): Mental illness tends to | | | | environmental factors. One thing is for sure -- mental |
| run in families, which means the likelihood to develop | | | | illness is not the result of personal weakness, a |
| a mental disorder may be passed on from parents to | | | | character defect or poor upbringing, and recovery |
| their children. | | | | from a mental illness is not simply a matter of will and |
| • Biology: Some mental disorders have been | | | | self-discipline. |
| linked to special chemicals in the brain called | | | | • Heredity (genetics): Many mental illnesses |
| neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters help nerve cells | | | | run in families, suggesting that the illnesses may be |
| in the brain communicate with each other. If these | | | | passed on from parents to children through genes. |
| chemicals are out of balance or not working properly, | | | | Genes contain instructions for the function of each |
| messages may not make it through the brain | | | | cell in the body and are responsible for how we look, |
| correctly, leading to symptoms. In addition, defects in | | | | act, think, etc. But, just because your mother or |
| or injury to certain areas of the brain also have been | | | | father may have a mental illness doesn't mean you |
| linked to some mental illnesses. | | | | will have one. Hereditary just means that you are |
| • Psychological trauma: Some mental illnesses | | | | more likely to get the condition than if you didn't |
| may be triggered by psychological trauma, such as | | | | have an affected family member. Experts believe |
| severe emotional, physical or sexual abuse; an | | | | that many mental conditions are linked to problems in |
| important early loss, such as the loss of a parent; and | | | | multiple genes -- not just one, as with many diseases |
| neglect. | | | | -- which is why a person inherits a susceptibility to a |
| • Environmental stress: Stressful or | | | | mental disorder, but doesn't always develop the |
| traumatic events can trigger a mental illness in a | | | | condition. The disorder itself occurs from the |
| person with a vulnerability to a mental disorder. | | | | interaction of these genes and other factors -- such |
| How Is Mental Illness in Children Diagnosed? | | | | as psychological trauma and environmental stressors |
| As with adults, mental illnesses in children are | | | | -- which can influence, or trigger, the illness in a |
| diagnosed based on signs and symptoms that | | | | person who has inherited a susceptibility to it. |
| suggest a particular disorder. However, this process | | | | • Biology: Some mental illnesses have been |
| can be especially challenging with children. Many | | | | linked to an abnormal balance of special chemicals in |
| behaviors that are seen as symptoms of mental | | | | the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters |
| disorders, such as shyness, anxiety (nervousness), | | | | help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each |
| strange eating habits and outbursts of temper, can | | | | other. If these chemicals are out of balance or are |
| occur as a normal part of a child's development. | | | | not working properly, messages may not make it |
| Behaviors become symptoms when they occur very | | | | through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms of |
| often, last a long time, occur at an unusual age or | | | | mental illness. In addition, defects in or injury to |
| cause significant disruption to the child's and/or | | | | certain areas of the brain also have been linked to |
| family's ability to function. | | | | some mental conditions. |
| If symptoms are present, the doctor will begin an | | | | • Psychological trauma: Some mental illnesses |
| evaluation by performing a complete medical history | | | | may be triggered by psychological trauma suffered |
| and physical examination. Although there are no | | | | as a child, such as severe emotional, physical or |
| laboratory tests to specifically diagnose mental | | | | sexual abuse; a significant early loss, such as the loss |
| disorders, the doctor may use various tests, such as | | | | of a parent; and neglect. |
| X-rays and blood tests, to rule out physical illness or | | | | • Environmental stressors: Certain stressors |
| medication side effects as the cause of the | | | | -- such as a death or divorce, a dysfunctional family |
| symptoms. | | | | life, changing jobs or schools and substance abuse -- |
| If no physical illness is found, the child may be | | | | can trigger a disorder in a person who may be at risk |
| referred to a child and adolescent psychiatrist or | | | | for developing a mental illness. |
| psychologist, mental health professionals who are | | | | Can Mental Illness Be Prevented? |
| specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illness in | | | | Unfortunately, most mental illnesses are caused by a |
| children and teens. Psychiatrists and psychologists use | | | | combination of factors and cannot be prevented. |
| specially designed interview and assessment tools to | | | | How Common Is Mental Illness? |
| evaluate a child for a mental disorder. The doctor | | | | Mental illnesses are very common. In fact, they are |
| bases his or her diagnosis on reports of the child's | | | | more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease. |
| symptoms and his or her observation of the child's | | | | According to the U.S. Surgeon General, an estimated |
| attitude and behavior. The doctor often must rely on | | | | 23% of American adults (those ages 18 and older) -- |
| reports from the child's parents, teachers and other | | | | about 44 million people -- and about 20% of |
| adults because children often have trouble explaining | | | | American children suffer from a mental disorder |
| their problems or understanding their symptoms. | | | | during a given year. Further, about 5 million Americans |
| How Is Mental Illness in Children Treated? | | | | adults, and more than 5 million children and |
| Mental disorders are like many medical illnesses that | | | | adolescents suffer from a serious mental condition |
| require ongoing treatment. Although much progress | | | | (one that significantly interferes with functioning). |