A child doesn’t need a diagnosis of mental illness to be suffering. Sleep problems, anxiety about school, or sadness about parents’ separation are examples of issues that may not rise to the level of a disorder, but they all diminish a child’s resilience and enjoyment of life.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed a new toolkit to help primary care clinicians more effectively identify and manage these and other mental health issues. The toolkit, “Addressing Mental Health Concerns in Primary Care,” released in June 2010, includes screening tools, step-by-step care plans, parent handouts and other resources.
“The head is part of the body,” said Jane M. Foy, MD, FAAP, editor of the toolkit. “We want pediatricians to have the tools they need to make mental health care a well-integrated part of their practice. If we can identify psychological, social, and emotional issues early, often we can prevent them from growing into larger, more serious problems.”
The toolkit provides primary care clinicians with the practical resources they need to implement the recommendations of the AAP Task Force on Mental Health, which published a set of strategies June 1 to enhance pediatric mental health at both the community level and in individual pediatric practices. An estimated 21 percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder and have evidence of at least minimal impairment. Yet, due to a shortage of pediatric mental health care providers, only 20 percent of these children receive treatment. Pediatricians are increasingly being called on to help fill this gap.
The toolkit includes step-by-step decision support for assessment and care of children with the most common mental health symptoms: anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior and aggression, inattention and impulsivity, substance use/abuse, social-emotional problems in young children, and learning difficulties. A CD-ROM offers ready-to-use resources and tools that can be printed and distributed as needed. Many will be continuously refreshed through Web-based updates.
The toolkit is available at the AAP Bookstore.
Parents who have a question about their child's mental health should talk to their pediatrician.
