Mental Health Disorders in Children and Teens

Many children and adolescents have mental health problems that interfere with their normal development and daily life activities. Some mental health problems are mild, while others are more severe. Some mental health problems last for only short periods of time, while others, potentially, last a lifetime. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reports the following:

• One in 10 children and adolescents suffer from mental illness severe enough to cause problems in their development and daily life.
• Research studies have reported that up to 3 percent of children and up to 8 percent of adolescents in the US suffer from depression
• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems that occur in children and adolescents
• Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents. It affects an estimated 4.1 percent of youths ages 9 to 17 in a 6-month period.

• Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are common among adolescent and young women in the US.

It is important to know that help is available. Most children and adolescents who experience mental health problems can return to normal daily lives, if they receive appropriate treatment.