Half of children in the United States who suffer from some kind of mental disorder go untreated, according to a recently published study. The researchers analyzed data collected from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationwide survey of the parents of young adolescents.
The findings showed that of the 46.6 million youth ages 6 to 18 whose parents filled out the survey, about 7.7 million teens suffered from at least one type of mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or inattention. . /hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A year before this study was conducted, only half of these children were receiving counseling or any form of treatment offered by a mental health provider.
The study also found that the percentage of young teens diagnosed with a mental health disorder who did not receive any treatment from a health care provider fluctuated widely between 72.2 percent in North Carolina and 29.5 percent in the District of Columbia. The findings appear in February 2019 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
What do child and adolescent psychiatrists say?
Co-author Mark Peterson, an associate professor at Michigan University (Medicine), said he was thinking in a comprehensive way about the ailments faced by children at a young age. But he was shocked to see such a high percentage of young teens in the US not receiving psychiatric treatment
However, child psychiatrists didn’t seem too surprised by the results. Dr. Barbara Robles-Ramamurthy, an adolescent and child psychiatrist at the Long School of Medicine at the University of Texas (UT) San Antonio Health Science Center, said this was unfortunately not news to her. In fact, she was well aware that the percentage of young teens with mental illness that went untreated in the US was quite high.
Dr. Jennifer Mautone, a consultant psychiatrist in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, further explained that families and children with mental illness face a number of challenges when it comes to accessing mental health treatment services , contributing to the high rates not receiving treatment.
Extreme shortage of mental health providers
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) revealed that the United States was experiencing an extreme shortage of practicing child and adolescent psychiatrists. According to the available data, there were less than 17 caregivers per 100,000 teens.
This indicates that many families had to wait a long time for treatment, worsening the primary mental health condition of the affected child. The available qualified caregivers also faced major challenges when interacting with other existing systems responsible for the care of these children. Some of these systems include health care, education, childcare, and the adolescent justice system. All of these systems were supposed to take care of the child, but none of them communicated with each other, resulting in half-hearted care.
A glimmer of hope
Many pediatric health systems have begun to integrate mental health services into their practice, to promote timely intervention of mental health services for children. Even the mental health providers, by integrating with the paediatricians, tap into the already prevalent patient trust factor and are able to reach families in a familiar environment. One such program was the Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids Initiative at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, led by Dr. Mautone.
In the past two years, this initiative has served more than 2,500 patients. Robles-Ramamurthy, considered this a positive breakthrough. Yet there is still much more to achieve, she feels. Many families still view the presence of mental illness in their family as a personal failure and are afraid to address it for fear of the associated stigma. The work on destigmatizing mental illness only really started a decade ago. Another hurdle faced by the parents is insurance coverage. Some teens are covered, while others are not adequately covered.
Treatment of teen psychiatry at ADEONA Healthcare
Mental illness, when left untreated in young adolescents, poses serious threats to society, including unemployment, poor performance in school and life in general, and high suicide rates. At ADEONA Healthcare in Rancho San Diego, adolescents ages 12 to 17 receive comprehensive behavioral treatment programs for mental disorders and related issues. The facility offers a combination of individual and group therapies that are critical to the successful treatment and recovery of mental disorders.
Recommended
- Obsolescence of EPSDT - Part III: Losing coverage In Part I of this series, we discussed the state of Medicaid and the EPSDT -- the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Benefit -- which covers most American children with disabilities from birth to 19 (21 in some states) year. age. Since 1989, the EPSDT has required every…
- Term Life Insurance - Everything you need to know to get the… If you have a spouse, children or both and their current and future standard of living depends on the money you take home each month, term life insurance is the best financial purchase you will ever make! For just a few cents a day, you can guarantee that if something…
- Forced sterilization in America and Canada We're lucky to have a choice about our birth control options. Some people, worldwide, have not been given that choice. Forced sterilizations have been performed in the United States and Canada as well as worldwide. Find out why these atrocities were committed and learn about your birth control rights.EugenicsEugenics is…
- Is there a solution for distracted driving? Paying attention while driving is the best way to avoid traffic accidents caused by distractions. Not using a mobile device while behind the wheel can make all the difference. Using such a device while driving can be fatal. While texting while driving is against the law in many states and…
- 10 questions to ask when considering a health insurance… When considering health insurance, it's essential that you ask some specific questions about a health insurance quote to make sure you're getting the right coverage at the right price. Here we look at 10 questions to ask:Question 1. What deductible costs and deductible do you have to pay? No medical…
- Do children need insurance? Because children are prone to illness and accidents, it is our duty as parents to provide them with the best health care possible. We have to give them the right care and protect them. With the right health insurance, we have peace of mind knowing that they are well protected…
- Before choosing a family dentist, consider these tips Providing good dental care for your family is one of the biggest parental roles you have to play. When your children grow up, they will always remember this when they look at their boisterous smiles. So it is advisable to inculcate proper dental care at a very young age. In…
- All state life insurance policies Based in Northbrook, Illinois, Allstate Insurance Corporation is the largest publicly traded personal insurance insurer in the United States and is a Fortune 100 company with $156.4 billion in assets. Allstate sells 13 major insurance policies, including life insurance. The "You're in Good Hands with Allstate" ad is one of…
- Dietary Supplements - Who Needs Them? It is often said that food is the best source of nutrients, and that is a true statement. The nutrients in food are generally more bioavailable than those in dietary supplements. Food undoubtedly also contains micronutrients that scientists have not yet identified that are crucial for good health.That said, I…
- What are the main benefits of gap year travel insurance? Sometimes you need to take a break. This could be a longer study break or a much-needed break from your career. Either way, you need travel insurance that covers your entire trip.Insurance companies provide you with exactly the kind of insurance you need for such a trip. Such an insurance…
- Get student car insurance at the best price The reasons why young people pay more vary. While the main reason is still the historical accident data and lack of driving experience, young people can still save some money by taking advantage of the discounts on offer. Auto insurers generally offer discounts even for teenagers. All you have to…
- The Backlash After Whiplash: What Can You Do? Have you ever had a car accident? During the average lifetime, there is a good chance that you or someone you know will experience such an unfortunate event. Statistics show that one in four people will have a car accident during their lifetime. After a fender bender, whether you're the…
- Why Every American Needs a Will While the nation is still debating health care reform, Americans have a bigger problem. Seventy-eight percent of Americans own a home and fifty-five percent of Americans have minor children living at home, yet less than half of the country has even made a will, let alone the other documents that…
- Do you need personal umbrella insurance? You sure do The papers tell us daily about the lawsuit stories: cases where the jury awards millions of dollars for injuries and even deaths from car, home or boat accidents. If you are like others who have not obtained adequate liability coverage, you can face catastrophic losses from any number of accidents.…
- Single dads need life insurance! Single fathers are everything to their children: nurse, teacher, cook and, of course, playmate. They also bear the burden of providing for their children financially and earning the money they need to survive. As a single father, how can you protect your children from the day you can no longer…
- When insurance coverage is right for your stage of life When it comes to insurance coverage, we can all agree on one thing. Bounties sure cost big dollar bills! Sure, there's a reason for that. We pay for a pool of protection. Our collective contributions are there for the risk exposure that each of us faces. If I take losses…
- Is there a better alternative to pet insurance? If your home is like 72.9 million others in the US, it is home to at least one pet. According to the 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 62 percent of U.S. households own at least one pet. It's not hard to imagine why. Pets, whether furry, hoofed or winged,…
- Family fun on the water Today's family is generally reduced to almost "no time." Parents are working longer hours, children and teens' attention is consumed by social media, television and even texting entire conversations. The distractions are all around us. Heck, I remember when I was younger we actually had to get on our bikes…
- Life insurance for cystic fibrosis in Canada What is Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic fibrosis is a disease that mainly affects children and young people. A usual life expectancy (average) for people with cystic fibrosis is about 37 years. It is considered a critical illness and it affects various parts of the body, mainly the lungs and digestive system.…
- How to find the property lines for your country As a landowner, knowing the location of your property lines is one of the best ways to avoid disputes with your neighbors.Property lines, or boundary lines, are the defined points where an owner's land ends and adjacent property begins. A property owner uses boundary lines to determine where they can…