| |
Most Common Mental Health Diagnoses in Children
There are many different kinds of brain disorders experienced by children and adolescents. Untreated, disorders of the brain profoundly disrupt a young person's ability to think, feel, and relate to others or their environment. Studies over the last few decades have found both the biological basis for brain disorders and treatments that work. As this community assesses the issue of Children's Mental Health, it is important that a brief overview of common mental health diagnoses are reviewed and estimated prevalence in Travis County considered.
Top Of Page
|
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
|
|
|
ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in childhood. ADHD occurs in 5 out of every 100 children (USDHHS, 1999, p. 144). It is estimated that 3,467 children in the Travis County School Districts have this disorder.
|
Approximately one-half of parents with ADHD have a child with the disorder. It is estimated that between 10-35 percent of children with ADHD have a first-degree relative with ADHD (USDHHS, 1999, p. 144).
|
In Travis County it is estimated that 3,467 children in Travis County School Districts have ADHD.
|
|
|
Symptoms are frequently first recognized when the child enters pre-school or kindergarten. As the name implies, there are two distinct sets of symptoms: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. It should be noted that often these symptoms occur along side of each other but one may be present without the other. Some common characteristics of these symptoms are disorganization of materials (e.g., school supplies), difficulty in finishing school work, losing schoolbooks, inappropriately answering in class, fidgeting, talking excessively, and so on. Many of these symptoms occur in children without ADHD. However, children with ADHD will have these symptoms more frequently, in multiple settings (school, home, church, visiting friends, etc.), and they interfere with the child's functioning. ADHD affects a child's ability to succeed at school and develop age-appropriate social skills.
Top Of Page
|
Major Depression
|
The National Institute of Mental Health report that scientists believe major depression has a genetic component, meaning families with a history of depressive illness may have a "biological susceptibility". However, behaviors of the families are not a direct cause of the illness. It is suspected that environmental stressors contribute to the onset of depressive disorder. Depression is not just a case of the blues, but a severe and persistent biological disease. The two most common types of depressive illness are unipolar (characterized by irritability and lack of interest in once pleasurable activities) and bipolar (characterized by cycles of depression and inappropriate highs).
The Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health notes population studies show 6 out of 110 children or about 3,782 students in Travis County school districts have had some symptoms of depression (USDHHS, 1999). Frequently onset of depression occurs in early adolescence, but it can be diagnosed earlier in childhood. Prevalence data of a clinical diagnosis of major depression among all children ages 9 to 17 is estimated at five percent. For a one-year estimate, the figures range from .4 to 2.5 percent. There are some studies that indicate adolescent depression can be as high as 8.3 percent (USDHHS, 1999, p. 151).
The treatment of depression in our community is important due to the fact that children and adolescents who suffer from depression are at a greater risk of committing suicide than are children without depression (USDHHS, 1999, p. 152).
Note: Five or more of these symptoms must persist for 2 or more weeks before a diagnosis of major depression is indicated.
The recovery rate from a single episode of major depression in children and adolescents is high even though other episodes are likely to recur. The prompt identification and treatment of depression can reduce the duration, severity, and associated functional impairment (NIMH, 2000, November 9).
Top Of Page
|
Bipolar Disorder
|
|
|
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness characterized by recurrent episodes of depression, mania, and/or mixed symptom states. Often children and adolescents will experience mood shifts, hyperactivity, and behavior that interfere significantly with normal, healthy functioning. Recent findings conclude that bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, can occur in children and adolescents. It is difficult to recognize and diagnose youth with this disorder because it does not fit the symptom criteria established for adults and its symptoms can resemble or co-occur with those of other common childhood-onset mental disorders. Sometimes symptoms may be initially mistaken for normal emotions and behaviors of children and adolescents. But unlike normal mood changes, bipolar disorder significantly impairs functioning in school, with peers, and at home with family. The National Institute for Mental Health reports that the illness may be at least as common among youth as among adults. One percent of adolescents ages 14 to 18 were found to have met criteria for bipolar disorder (USDHHS, 1999). In Travis County school districts, this equals 374 children.
Top Of Page
|
Disruptive Disorders
|
|
|
Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder are characterized by antisocial behavior. These disorders appear to be a collection of behaviors rather than a coherent pattern of mental dysfunction. These behaviors are also frequently found in children who suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (see ADHD section), another disruptive disorder. Children who develop the more serious conduct disorders often show signs of these disorders at an earlier age (USDHHS, 1999).
Top Of Page
|
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
|
|
|
Some children display a persistent pattern of defiance, disobedience, and hostility toward authority. Characteristic behaviors include: fighting and arguing, being easily annoyed, deliberately mistreating other people, repeatedly losing their temper, arguing with adults, deliberately refusing to comply with requests or rules of adults, blaming others for their own mistakes, and being repeatedly angry and resentful. Stubbornness and testing of limits are common. These behaviors cause significant difficulties with family and friends and at school or work. Oppositional defiant disorder is sometimes a precursor of conduct disorder (USDHHS, 1999).
Top Of Page
|
Conduct Disorder
|
|
|
Aggressive behavior (fighting, bullying, intimidating, physically assaulting, sexually coercing, and/or cruelty to people or animals), vandalism, theft, truancy, and early substance use or abuse, and sexual activity are all indicators of conduct disorders. Female characteristics of this disorder include running away from home and possibly becoming involved in prostitution. Relationships with peers and adults are often poor. Rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and suicide are all higher in children diagnosed with a conduct disorder.
The prevalence of conduct disorder is 4 to 10 of every 100 children and adolescents or 4,271 to 10,677 in Travis County School Districts. Children with an early onset of the disorder, i.e., onset before age 10, are predominantly male. Twenty-five to fifty percent of highly antisocial children become antisocial adults (USDHHS, 1999).
Top Of Page
|
Eating Disorders
|
|
|
|
Similar to other mental disorders children and adolescents with eating disorders have little control over their symptoms. Eating disorders are serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions that require medical and psychiatric attention. In the U.S., eating disorders are most common among adolescent and young women. It is estimated that between 0.5 and 1.0 percent suffer from anorexia nervosa, 1 to 3 percent have bulimia nervosa, and 0.7 to 4 percent experience binge-eating disorder. There is limited data concerning the prevalence in males. In addition to causing various physical health problems, eating disorders are associated with illnesses such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders (USDHHS, 1999). Overall in Travis County School districts there are approximately 374 to 1,123 young people with eating disorders.
Top Of Page
|
Anxiety Disorder
|
|
|
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental, emotional, and behavior problems that occur during childhood and adolescence. As many as 8 to 10 of 100 children and adolescents are affected. In Travis County School Districts, it is estimated that 8,541 to 10,677 young people may have an anxiety disorder. Among adolescents, more girls are affected. Some scientists believe this is because female bodies produce less serotonin, a brain chemical that is vital in maintaining mood stability. About half of the children and adolescents with anxiety disorders also have a second anxiety disorder or other mental or behavioral disorder, such as depression (NIMH, 2000).
Typically, young people with an anxiety disorder are so afraid, worried, or uneasy that they cannot function normally. Children and adolescents with this disorder experience extreme, unrealistic worry that does not seem related to any recent event. These young people are very self-conscious, feel tense, have a strong need for reassurance, and complain about stomachaches or other discomforts that don't appear to have any physical basis. If not treated early, anxiety disorders can lead to missed school or an inability to finish school, impaired relations with peers, low self-esteem, alcohol or other drug use, problems adjusting to work situations, and anxiety disorder in adulthood (NIMH, 2000).
Top Of Page
|
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
|
|
|
Approximately one million children and adolescents in the United States suffer from OCD. This can mean three to five youngsters with OCD per average-sized elementary school and about 20 teenagers in a large high school. Youngsters with OCD are compelled to repeat illogical behavior such as constant washing of hands, counting windows or tiles on a wall or floor, checking and rechecking to see if a particular possession is safe or a pet is well (NIMH. 2000).
Top Of Page
|
Phobias
|
|
|
A phobia is an unrealistic and excessive fear of a situation or object. Some phobias, called specific phobias, center on animals, storms, water, heights, or situations such as being in an enclosed space. Children and adolescents with social phobias are terrified of being criticized or judged harshly by others. Because young people with phobias will try to avoid the objects and situations that they fear, the disorder can greatly restrict their lives (NIMH, 2000).
Top Of Page
|
Schizophrenia
|
|
|
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that usually strikes young people between the ages of 16 and 25, but can occur as early as eight or nine years. Schizophrenia impacts about 3 out of every 1,000 adolescents or approximately 112 adolescents in Travis County. The rate of schizophrenia is low, yet its severity and debilitating effects are noticed by the individual diagnosed, to family, friends, and the system impacted. Schizophrenia is characterized by profound alterations in cognition and emotion. Youth with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations and delusions during which they cannot distinguish what is real from what is not. The course of the illness is variable with most people experiencing periods of exacerbation and remission. This can be a debilitating effect of the illness when perceived recovery is reversed by another episode (USDHHS, 1999).
Top Of Page
|
Autism
|
|
|
In our community autism is a significant disorder that impacts the lives of many children and their families. In Travis County, persons with autism are served by mental retardation/developmental disabilities service and support providers. Issues related to autism will be explored in the upcomming C.A.N. Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Assessment.
Top Of Page
Description of Children's Mental Health Home Page
Children's Mental Health Home Page
|
|
