Viw Magazine

Men's Weekly

.

  • Written by Melissa Mulraney, Postdoctoral research fellow, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Around 14% of children aged four to 17 have a mental health disorder. Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Three-quarters of Australian children with mental health disorders aren’t getting professional help, according to our new research. Girls, younger children and families from non-English-speaking backgrounds are the least likely to access mental health services.

We looked at the mental health of just under 5,000 Australian children aged eight to 13 via parental surveys of their child’s emotional and mental health. We then linked the results with Medicare data to see which families had accessed help.

Fewer than one in four children we identified as having a mental health problem saw a health professional in the 18 months after we surveyed them.


Read more: What's the best way to screen for child mental health issues?


Left unaddressed, mental health problems can become more entrenched and harder to treat. And mental health problems in childhood can have lifelong ramifications including increased risk of mental health problems in adulthood, poor educational attainment, unemployment, and contact with the criminal justice system.

So ensuring children and adolescents who experience mental health problems receive access to timely and effective care is essential.

What types of mental health problems do kids have?

Around 14% of children and adolescents aged four to 17 meet diagnostic criteria for at least one mental health disorder.

The most common mental health disorders in Australian children in this age group are anxiety disorders, which affect 6.9% of children, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects 7.4% of children.

Around 50% of all adult mental disorders begin before the age of 14. Yet in 2017-18, children under the age of 15 had the lowest use of Medicare-rebated mental health services (5.1%) of any Australian age group.


Read more: How to know if your child is addicted to video games and what to do about it


Younger children

Younger children were less likely to access services than older children. Some 20-27% of children aged 12-13 years accessed services, compared to 9-15% of children aged eight to nine years.

Young children respond to and process emotional experiences and traumatic events in ways that are very different from adults and older children. Consequently, it can be more difficult to recognise problems in early childhood.

A child acting up in the classroom, for example, may be perceived as being “naughty” rather than having mental health problems. Or a child may experience stomach aches and headaches which are caused by anxiety but thought to be a physical problem.

Boys are more likely to receive help for mental disorders than girls. From shutterstock.com

When problems are recognised, families may delay getting help for young children in the hope that they will “grow out of” the mental disorder.

While this may apply in some cases, treatment is still important. Take ADHD, for example. Although about 80% of children with ADHD will grow out of it by adulthood, children with ADHD often find it hard to make friends. If they miss out on developing their social skills early in life, it can become increasingly difficult to make friends during adolescence and adulthood when peer relationships become more complex.

In our study, the factors most consistently associated with getting support were symptom severity and parent perception that the child needed help.

The gradual onset and increase in severity over time of many mental health problems means children and their parents are more likely to seek services when the symptoms become severe or impact significantly on the child’s ability to function. This typically occurs as they grow older.


Read more: Children’s well-being goes hand in hand with their dads’ mental health


Boys versus girls

We found girls were less likely to receive care than boys. Girls made up 50% of children with mental health problems in the study, yet accounted for just 30% of children who received support for emotional problems at ages eight to 11.

This may have something to do with the fact that mental health conditions can be more difficult to recognise in girls.

Boys are more likely to externalise problems such as anxiety by reacting angrily when asked to do something that upsets them. Girls are more likely to internalise these issues by withdrawing or appearing very quiet, making problems harder to detect. In an environment like the classroom, boys’ problems are more likely to get noticed because of their disruptive nature.

Culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Around 14% of children with emotional problems came from a non-English speaking background, but they only accounted for 2% who received help.

The reluctance of parents from non-English speaking backgrounds to get help may be related to different cultural understandings of mental health and illness. They may also struggle to find services for their child in their own language.

Mental health conditions may also be more difficult to recognise among children from non-English speaking backgrounds, where quietness in the classroom may be mistaken for a language issue rather than a mental health issue.

We need change

Over the past 20 years there has been little change in the prevalence of child and adolescent mental disorders in Australia despite increased investment in resources. This is likely in part because the quality and the intensity of services provided have not improved.

Children may not be receiving sufficient treatment sessions or treatment sustained over a long enough period to meaningfully impact on their symptoms. It’s recommended that children receive at least eight sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of anxiety, for example, but many children will require more.

Australia’s health system rewards discharging patients from care within a set number of appointments rather than once they have improved. The Medicare Better Access scheme allows for a maximum of ten subsidised appointments with a psychologist in a calendar year. But again, many children require more.


Read more: What about the mental health of kids with intellectual disability?


We need a system-level shift to funding based on measured symptom improvement rather than a capped number of appointments both in hospital settings and in the community.

Our research suggests we need to better understand parent and child drivers of why children miss out on care, particularly girls, younger children, and those from diverse backgrounds. Doing so and ensuring access to high-quality care will benefit not only the child and their family now but also the adult they will become.

Harriet Hiscock receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council.

Melissa Mulraney does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Authors: Melissa Mulraney, Postdoctoral research fellow, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Read more http://theconversation.com/3-out-of-4-kids-with-mental-health-disorders-arent-accessing-care-118597

Designing the Ideal Healthcare Environment with a Professional Medical Centre Fitout

When it comes to healthcare spaces, functionality, hygiene, and patient comfort take top priority. An intelligently designed medical centr...

Stay Comfortable Year-Round with Ducted Cooling Melbourne

When the temperature starts to rise, having a reliable and efficient cooling system becomes a priority. With unpredictable weather and sud...

Best Practices for Content Ownership and Tagging Across Departments

Image by kaboompics on Freepik The bigger and more complex content ecosystems grow, the more valuable ownership and tagging become. In ent...

Understanding Public Liability Insurance Australia: What You Need to Know

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik The necessity of public liability insurance in Australia is that it acts as a financial safeguard for busi...

How HID Proximity Cards Improve Workplace Security Without Slowing Down Access

In today’s workplaces, security is non-negotiable, but so is speed. Companies are under pressure to protect their people, property, and ...

Unlock Business Insights Faster with Power BI Tools

In this digital age where data drives the consumer landscape, businesses are shipping huge amounts of data every day. To remain competit...

Why Split System Installation Is a Smart Choice for Home Climate Control

Temperature control is essential for comfort, and when it comes to efficient, versatile cooling and heating, a split system is one of the ...

The Ultimate Guide to Door Replacement: Everything You Need to Know

Image by freepik Sure, swapping out a door is a fairly easy task, but it requires careful consideration of options for materials, designs...

Common Web Development Issues Perth Businesses Face (and How Agencies Fix Them)

Image by freepik Let's be honest, in the bustling heart of Perth's business scene, a website that's not up to scratch is like trying to he...

Life With Clear Aligners: 10 Small Changes That Make a Big Difference

Image by tonodiaz on Freepik Clear aligners have transformed orthodontics, offering a nearly invisible way to straighten teeth without the...

Choosing the Right Hair Loss Treatment for Your Needs

Millions of people experience hair loss globally, and it can be a major cause of emotional discomfort and self-consciousness. Hair loss ca...

Cardboard Display Boxes: An Effective Solution for Retail Presentation

In the competitive world of retail, how products are presented can be just as important as the products themselves. Cardboard display boxe...

Why Hiring a Skilled Shopify Web Developer Can Transform Your Online Store

Shopify has become one of the most popular e-commerce platforms due to its ease of use, powerful features, and scalability. However, creat...

Selling a Home Left 1 in 3 Aussies in Tears, Survey Finds

New research on selling property found that more than 1 in 3 people who sold a property in the past two years admitted to crying at some poi...

Brisbane Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers & Motorbike Accident Claims

Motorbike accidents in Brisbane can lead to severe injuries and complex legal challenges, given the vulnerability of riders on the road. F...

Jesse Martin, OAM Sets Sail Again with Portland Roads - Sailing the Whitsundays

Jesse Martin OAM shot to fame in 1999 as the world’s youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe – solo, unassisted and non-stop. No...

Why Modern Roller Shutters Are the Perfect Solution for Your Home or Business

Whether you're looking to secure your home or make your business more energy-efficient, modern roller shutters are a smart choice. In this...

Everything You Need to Know About the EWPA Yellow Card

The EWPA Yellow Card is an important certification in the construction and workplace safety sectors. It plays a key role in ensuring worke...

From Residential to NDIS to Commercial: How Mr Window Cleaning Covers Every Window

Not all window cleaning jobs are created equal. A quiet suburban home, a bustling retail store, and a property under an NDIS plan each com...

How Timely Duct Inspections and Repairs Improve HVAC Efficiency

You have cranked up the air conditioning, but your home still feels unevenly cooled or stuffy. Sound familiar? Many homeowners jump straig...