Family In Need Of Help Turns To Child Psychiatry Apex Area

By Sherry Gross


At the time that the symptoms of mental disturbance are noticed in a child, it is time to seek professional help. Statistically speaking, a fourth of all children and adolescents are impacted by a mental illness each year. If you are looking for counseling and treatment for child psychiatry Apex can provide qualified professionals.

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.

During the teen years, alcohol and drug addictions may develop. Schizophrenia typically has an onset age of late teens to early twenties. It can also appear in early childhood although it is rare. Bipolar disorder is not as rare.

There is no single trait that causes mental illness in children. Some are biological, others are psychological or environmental. Causal factors that are biological in origin are related to levels of dopamine or serotonin that are atypical.

Sometimes the size of some lobes are larger or smaller than in people who are not mentally disturbed. Some areas of the physical brain may be more active in those with mental disturbances. Gender may play a role. Girls seem to be suffering from mood disorder more frequently than boys.

A genetic predisposition may be present in children with a mentally ill parent. This might be attributed to childhood trauma, however. Children with a parent who is disturbed are four times as likely to develop a disorder themselves. Thus, the nature versus question is raised.

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.

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.

In some cases a medical problem that requires medication may exacerbate the psychiatric disorder. In the case of depression it may be connected to medication taken for a thyroid condition. Many psychiatric conditions improve faster when medication is used in conjunction with psychotherapy.

The briefest treatment period for a child is six months. In this amount of time significant improvement can be facilitated. Improved relationships with family and friends are noted. Without treatment they may 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.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment