High Rates of Mental Disorders in Children

Mental illnesses in children have doubled in the last 30 years. A report published yesterday by the British Medical Association's board of science informs that measures should be taken against the increasing level of mental conditions in children.

The study estimated that more than 1 million children under the age of 15 in UK suffer from mental disorders, meaning that 1 child in 10 should see a specialist to receive mental health help.

The report entitled Child and Adolescent Mental Health refer to risk factors such as family decline, alcohol abuse and diet to influence the prevalence of eating, behavioral and emotional disorders in children. Behavioral disorders would usually affect boys (violent behavior, bullying, fighting), while emotional conditions are most common with girls (depression, phobias, anxiety, suicidal attempts.)

Nevertheless, David Skuse, professor of Brain and Behavioral Science at the Institute of Child Health, London, showed that the disorders which developed the most in the last 20-30 years among children are the non-aggressive ones - stealing, lying, disobedience - as compared to the aggressive ones - defiant provocative behavior, excessive fighting and cruelty to others or to animals - that have remained stable in percentage.


The children that are exposed to the highest risk of getting ill with mental dysfunctions are the ones that come from poorer backgrounds, those in care and the ones that have witnessed domestic violence.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of BMA ethics and science stated that "these children may have come from socially and economically deprived backgrounds, and are more likely to under-perform at school," and added: "Children from deprived backgrounds have a poorer start in life on many levels, but without good mental health they may not have a chance to develop emotionally and reach their full potential in life."

That is why the searching team called for the government to improve the care services it provides and also for offering the children an adequate background.