Mental Health

During the past 20 years, visits to pediatric emergency departments by children with psychiatric needs have increased in number and acuity. National media coverage of tragedies in schools and other public settings has contributed to the increased general awareness of psychiatric illnesses.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 13% of children aged 8 to 15 years in the United States will experience a severe mental disorder at some point in their lives. Most mental health conditions develop by the age of 24, with 50% of lifetime cases of disorders emerging by the age of 14 in the form of autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, behavioral problems and depression. Left untreated, severe mental health conditions can lead some children to take their own lives; suicide remains the third leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 24, with a higher mortality rate than AIDS, cancer, heart disease, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease — combined.

Adults born preterm at very low birth weight reported more internalizing, externalizing and avoidant personality problems than adults born at term.

Experiencing a new transition to poverty significantly increased risk for mental health problems among children in the U.K., according to recent findings.

Children from low-income families who attended a high-quality early education program developed better language and social skills compared with those who did not attend, according to recent findings.

To effectively prevent maladjustment in at-risk children, researchers recommended a shift in national funding priorities from focusing on biological processes to balancing biological and environmental factors.

The FDA has issued a rare pediatric disease designation to a gene therapy for the treatment of children with GM1 gangliosidosis, according to the drug’s manufacturer.

Public school prekindergarten programs enhanced the academic performance, social skills and English-language proficiency of low-income Latino children compared with center-based care, per a study published in Child Development.

In a recent review, the American Board of Pediatrics identified a severe lack of pediatric residency training for behavioral and mental health problems and urged increased education in preventing, recognizing and managing these conditions.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity predicted fewer depressive symptoms in middle childhood, suggesting increased physical activity may be useful to prevent and treat childhood depression.