Child Psychiatry Apex Area Practitioners Can Provide Help

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.

Some children suffer from anxiety disorders and others from behavior disorders. Depression occurs in approximately two percent of children under twelve. That percentage doubles among adolescents.

Most cases of alcohol or drug addiction involve adolescents. They can also be subject to bipolar disorder, formerly referred to as manic depressive disorder. Schizophrenia typically begins in the late teens or early twenties. It can, however, appear 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.

A genetic component may be the cause in some cases. If they live with a parent who suffers mental health issues there is four times the likeliness of becoming mentally disturbed. This is true in comparison to children whose parents are mentally healthy. Thus, the upbringing provided by disturbed parents, may be a factor.

In the case of emotionally disturbed parents, they are not likely to be capable of providing a stable environment. The youngster may suffer emotional or physical abuse. If a parent dies or the subject is bullied at school, these can predispose him or her to develop a mental illness.

There are many other factors that cause or contribute to mental disorders. Included are poverty, exposure to conflict and divorce. Some indications of a disorder are boredom, performing poorly in school and frequent headaches. There may be nightmares. Regressive behavior such as bedwetting may also be a sign.

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.

Clinical depression can be made worse if the child is taking a medicine to treat a physical disorder. This may be a medicine they need to maintain good physical health. In many cases, if medication for the mental illness is used in conjunction with counseling, the improvement is more rapid.

Children will be treated for a minimum time period of six months. They can improve significantly and learn to get along with family members and children at school. When there is no treatment provided, they are likely to get worse.

Some antidepressants are more effective than others. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors show consistent success. This makes them the preferred medication for depressed children. Bipolar disorders are managed by using Risperidone, Quetapine or Aripiprazole if he or she is under ten. Whenever a child is placed on these medicines, he or she must be under the strict supervision of a psychiatrist.




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