Up to 20% of children/adolescents have a mental disorder
10 October 2003 is World Mental Health Day. The focus this year will be on
the needs of children and adolescents who are experiencing emotional and
behavioral problems. It is time to ask some questions.
The future of our society depends on the emotional health of our young
people. However, many children have adolescent and behavioral problems that
interfere with healthy development and functioning. Left unrecognized and
untreated, many of these problems continue into adulthood and can severely limit
educational, work and social achievement.
The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide up to 20% of children
and adolescents have a mental health disorder serious enough to need
professional attention. Yet, fewer than one in five receive needed treatment. It
is possible that, by 2020, child and adolescent emotional and behavioral
disorders could rise proportionately by fifty percent throughout the world to
become one of the five most common causes of death, illness and disability among
children.
On 10 October 2003, World Mental Health Day, the global mental health
education program of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), will launch
a worldwide, yearlong public awareness and advocacy campaign to focus increased
attention on the needs of children and adolescents who are experiencing
emotional and behavioral problems, promote the planning, funding and development
of increased and improved mental health services for young people, and encourage
citizen advocacy to support the adoption by national governments of child and
adolescent mental health policies.
According to WFMH's President L. Patt Franciosi, "Few national
government policies designed specifically to support child and adolescent mental
health exist worldwide. In fact, a recent survey of national mental health
policies did not find a single country with a mental health policy strictly
pertaining to children and adolescents, although 34 countries were found to have
identifiable mental health policies that may have some beneficial impact on
children and adolescents. The absence of policy is a major barrier to the
development of coherent systems of mental health care for children and
adolescents."
"The 2003 World Mental Health Day campaign theme focuses on emotional
and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents", Dr. Franciosi
stated, "because so many young people around the world are not receiving
the attention they deserve. This year's campaign will help to increase worldwide
awareness and advocacy concerning the devastating effects of emotional and
behavioral disorders on the lives of children and adolescents. We expect that
public awareness, education and advocacy activities commemorating World Mental
Health Day will be held in over 100 countries."
2003 marks the eleventh year that the World Federation for Mental Health has
organized the World Mental Health Day global mental health education campaign.
WFMH is an international multidisciplinary organization founded in 1948 to
advance among all people and nations, the prevention of mental and emotional
disorders, the proper treatment and care of those with such disorders, and the
promotion of mental health.
More information:
World Federation for Mental Health www.wmhday.net
Related articles:
Your child's mental health - asking the questions
Entomophobia - forensic science plays its part
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