Pediatric Mental Illnesses Are Common, Urgent, And Treatable

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  ADHD;  Mental Health
Article Date: 30 Apr 2007 - 0:00 PST

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The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) asks reporters to help erase stigma associated with mental illnesses during May, Mental Health Month, because children's mental illnesses are common, urgent, and treatable.

"'Mental Health Month is a great time for families to talk about mental health because it is a critical part of overall health,"AACAP President Thomas F. Anders, M.D., said.

The AACAP's Web site www.aacap.org

offers information through its Facts for Families series on symptoms of pediatric mental illnesses, including depression, ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. It also provides guidance on what steps to take if a child or adolescent appears to have a mental illness.

"No one is advocating that parents diagnose their kids. Evaluations can only be performed by a professional like a child and adolescent psychiatrist, but parents should know the warning signs," Dr. Anders said.

The AACAP invites members of the media to show that mental illnesses affect every family. May is a good time to show audiences how pervasive children's mental illnesses are and that early treatment is critical.

The following facts about pediatric mental illnesses were taken from, Improving the Mental Health & Well-being of America's Children, a fact sheet created by a coalition of allied mental health organizations.

www.aacap.org