Family In Need Of Help Turns To Child Psychiatry Apex Area

By Sherry Gross


Something that is generally not discussed except when symptoms become apparent is mental illness in children. It is a statistic that one fourth of all children and teens are affected by a psychiatric disorder in any given year. When seeking help and treatment for child psychiatry Apex has qualified practitioners.

There are categories of types that children suffer from. There are behavioral disorders and anxiety disorder. Two percent of all children under the age of twelve have clinical depression. Adolescents from thirteen to nineteen, as a group, have twice as many affected by it.

Adolescents are prone to developing addictions to drugs or alcohol. Bipolar disorder can manifest itself during the teen years as well. Schizophrenia, usually not appearing until late teens or early twenties, can begin at an earlier age.

There is no one cause for all children afflicted by any mental disorder. Some are biological in origin. The development of any of these conditions may be promoted by environmental conditions. Some children have abnormal levels of serotonin or dopamine in the brain.

Some people who are afflicted have smaller or larger lobes in the brain. Some areas of their brains may be overactive. In some cases, gender plays a role. For example, girls have mood disorder more frequently than boys do.

There may be a genetic component. Children with a parent who has mental issues are four times as likely to develop a mental illness, compared to children with emotionally healthy parents. This could possibly be attributed to the upbringing provided by parents who are troubled by mental illness.

The emotionally unhealthy parents would be less likely to provide a stable environment. Other causal factors include trauma such as abuse, death of a parent or being bullied. These things all predispose a susceptibility to developing a psychiatric disorder.

Other factors include poverty, divorce and constant exposure to fighting. There may be indications of disturbance such as boredom, headaches, stomachaches and regressing to earlier behavior problems. Bedwetting in the absence of a physical cause is another example.

In severe cases, prescription medication may be needed. In many cases psychiatric care using medications and psychotherapy are used concomitantly. Severe depressive disorder, extreme aggression, bipolar or childhood schizophrenia usually cannot be controlled without medication.

Some physical conditions require medication that makes the psychiatric disorder worse. Depression, for one, is suspected of being connected to thyroid medication. When psychotherapy is used in conjunction with medication, the subject often has a more rapid recovery or improvement.

The minimum treatment period for children is six months. A significant improvement can be attained. He or she can improve relationships, such as with family members and friends. If treatment is not provided, it is likely the he or she will grow worse.

Antidepressants used for children are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These have an effect on serotonin levels. They are relatively safe and effective, making them the preferred medications for children. Bipolar disorder is treated with Risperidone, Aripiprazole or Quetapine for children over the age of ten. Treatment with medication must be closely monitored by a child psychiatrist.



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