MENTAL ILLNESS

MENTAL ILLNESS Mental disorders in children are quite common, occurring in about one-quarter of this age group in any given year. The most common childhood mental disorders are anxiety disorders,depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although less common, developmental disorders and psychotic disorders in children can have a lifelong impact on the child and his or her family. As in any age group, there tends to be no single cause for mental illness in children. In addition to the specific symptoms of each mental disorder, children with a psychiatric illness can exhibit signs that are specific to their age and developmental status. Establishing the diagnosis of a mental illness in children usually involves the combination of comprehensive medical, developmental, and mental-health assessments. There are a variety of treatments available for managing mental illness in children, including several effective medications, educational or occupational interventions, as well as specific forms of psychotherapy.  Children with mental-health problems can have lower educational achievement, greater involvement with the criminal justice system, and fewer stable placements in the child welfare system than their peers. Attempts at prevention of childhood mental illness tend to address both specific and nonspecific risk factors, strengthen protective factors, and use an approach that is appropriate for the child's developmental level. Research on mental illness in children is focused on a number of issues, including increasing the understanding of how often these illnesses occur, the risk factors, most effective treatments, and how to improve the access that children have to those treatments.