Rabu, 30 Mei 2012

Children as young as FIVE are being treated for depression and anxiety... and their number is increasing by 10% each year

Children as young as FIVE are being treated for depression and anxiety... and their number is increasing by 10% each year

  • NHS Solent reveals that 324 young people suffering from depression were referred to it in one year
  • Another 378 patients, aged 16 and under, were referred for a range of mental health therapies
  • One child aged two was treated with 'play therapy'

By Graham Smith

PUBLISHED: 10:34 EST, 30 May 2012 | UPDATED: 10:34 EST, 30 May 2012


Children as young as give are being treated for depression and anxiety, according to shock NHS figures.

NHS Solent, which covers Southampton and Portsmouth, revealed it had 324 young people suffering from depression referred to it between September 2010 and August 2011.

Another 378 patients, aged 16 and under, were referred for a range of mental health therapies.

Modern scourge: Children as young as give are being treated for depression and anxiety, according to shock NHS figures

Modern scourge: Children as young as give are being treated for depression and anxiety, according to shock NHS figures

These included cognitive behaviour therapy, anxiety management and art and play therapy, with the youngest of those aged just two.

Barbara Inkson, child clinical psychology at Solent NHS Trust, said: 'Levels of emotional disorders, including depression as well as anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders, are rising.'

She said they were seeing an annual increase of about 10 per cent in referrals.

Meanwhile, the NHS Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Sussex estimated it was working with about 330 under-11s and 830 12 to 18-year-olds with anxiety and/or depression.

Experts said children are coming under increasing stress because of unemployment, financial problems and substance abuse among their parents.

Sarah Brennan, chief executive of Young Minds, said: 'Intervening early when a child or young person starts struggling to cope is proven to reduce the likelihood of that young person developing much more severe and entrenched mental health problems.

'It is vital that we invest in children and young people’s mental health in order to prevent a generation of children suffering entrenched mental health problems as adults.'

In February, MPs announced an extra £22million will be set aside to tackle child mental health treatment.

Nationally, one in ten children aged between five and 16 years old has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem.

Half of adults with long-term mental health problems will have experienced their first symptoms before the age of 14.

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To many people putting there new cars etc first and working all hours they can don't keep blaming the bills they are there because we all like more and more and now it's starting to bite us back and showing in our children

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A lot of these problems could be avoided if we were able to have one full time parent but it would appear there are too many financial pressures to allow for this. Children need to be protected from violent films/tv content/video games that's why age limits apply. Children do not need to be exposed to sexual content from the above sources or indeed magazines or sex education at school.Children need to be reassured that they don't have to look like this model or that film star. Children need to be outside more using their imaginations to play rather than relying on the likes of facebook/computer games etc. Simply put children are not allowed to be children anymore and to a certain extent the pressures put upon them by their parents/friends/relatives/teachers and the media are forcing them to become mini adults. They need love, time, security and discipline and my two have turned out to be well adjusted, hard working, loving and loyal. Well done to me an d my ex-husband.

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Unless it has something to do with the awful parenting that happens today, what on earth would such young children have to be depressed about??? If they don't learn how to cope with the stuff life throws at you without medications, then there is no hope whatsoever... - get me out of here!!!!, buckingham, its all quit simple realy once you understand what controls thought and feelings. Many parents wont like this but its the endocannabinoid system and the sets of lipids that run it.. In the case of prozac please be carefull and consult with your doctors this is not a good drug for young people as it force creates CB receptors in the brain to help soak up AEA levels which can lead to issues in puberty and adulthood. yes it resolves behaviour but little else. These issues are not about coping but more about construction and framework both of the brain and life in general.

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Many years ago thousands of children had their tonsils removed unnescassarily and the medical and caring professions are still apparently driven by the fashion and herd instinct that also resulted more recently in numerous children being unnecessarily diagnosed as abused or in need of Ritalin! And of course the desire for a piece of the "£22million set aside to tackle child mental health treatment" plays no part in this, does it?

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who's paying for all this?........................vested interests at work me thinks

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Our daughter is 8, and has been on a very small dose of Prozac for the past few months. Can I just say- this has been a godsend. We have another son who is perfectly normal and is 2 years younger, so it's not always to do with parenting. This would be the same bunch who tell people to "just get over it" if you have a physiological problem which needs some medication to control. Our daughter used to have massive behavioural problems- sensory problems (wouldn't change her clothes as they were too scratchy, etc), huge rage outbursts...the Prozac has really helped her become more amenable to making small changes, she is much more calm, and much happier, whilst still being herself. I advise those who criticise parents like me to walk a week in our shoes...

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Yes, well we are living in very worrying times and I'm sure children are catching on quickly as they seem more aware of things nowadays. The world is changing rapidly and so are our children.

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there are always reasons behind symptoms of mental ill health. it doesnt just manifest itself out of thin air. children can only handle so much stress and pressure

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Unless it has something to do with the awful parenting that happens today, what on earth would such young children have to be depressed about??? If they don't learn how to cope with the stuff life throws at you without medications, then there is no hope whatsoever...

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a very sad state of play but so many factors cause this from our parents diets and use of alcohol to our childrens diets. I have a genetic form of major depression and both of my kids have been treated in the past for mental health issues. both from around the age of 12..

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