One in ten children under the age of 15 is suffering from mental illness and the prevalence of mental disorders is on the increase, according to a report published June 19, 2006 by the British Medical Association.
While many severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, do not present themselves until late adolescence, children can suffer from a range of emotional disorders such as anxieties, phobias and obsessive disorders. Teenagers also have higher rates of suicidal depression than adults.
Many children are not receiving care because their symptoms - including troubled sleeping, temper tantrums, and obsessive behaviour - are being confused with growing pains.
Like many health problems, rates of mental health disorders are higher in deprived areas, the report said. Children in care, the offspring of asylum-seekers and those who have witnessed domestic violence are also at a higher risk.
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