Mental Health IS Health. So Why Is It the Leprosy of Childhood Illness?
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In October 2021, three groups concerned with child health — the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and the Children's Hospital Association (CHA) — declared a national emergency in children's mental health. Numbers don't lie: According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between March 2020 and October 2020, emergency visits for children rose nearly 25% for 5- to 11-year-olds and 30% for 12- to 17-year-olds. Suicide attempts specifically in girls ages 12-17 increased 50% in early 2021. Eating disorders have skyrocketed in adolescents. Almost 150,000 children have lost a primary or secondary caregiver due to death from COVID.
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@arya-veer Physicians are afraid of children and adolescents with mental health issues or mental illness when parents bring them for help. This fear is largely a reflection of their lack of knowledge and experience in recognizing and treating these kids, as well as the stigma that persists that these children are raging, out of control