Statistics give us a general picture of the trends that occur in our culture. True prevention means that empowering children with self-help skills reduces unnecessary suffering. Let’s create new statistics that show positive changes in our society through SUPERKID POWER!
MENTAL HEALTH
*In 2010 U.S. Spent $12 billion on troubled children and youth. Three quarters of them did not have needs met. – Rand Research
In 2009, $9.6 billion was spent on antidepressant prescriptions in the U.S. alone, reported Intercontinental Medical Statistics (IMS). That rounds out to be about 200 million prescriptions.
The percentage of children aged 5-17 using antidepressants was 1.4% in 1995 and this increased to 2.6% in 2005. In another study researchers are saying that they see evidence of depression in children as young as three years of age. (Health Central)
Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. (Department of Health & Human Services)
Recent studies show that, at any given time, as many as one in every 33 children may have clinical depression. The rate of depression among adolescents may be as high as one in eight. (Department of Health and Human Services)
Recent studies have shown that greater than 20% of adolescents in the general population have emotional problems and one-third of adolescents attending psychiatry clinics suffer from depression. (The Canadian Journal of CME)
BULLYING
*More than 160,000 children skip school every day because they feel threatened by another student. – National Association of School Psychologists
32 percent of students bullied at school. National crime in schools statistics, 2010.
Recent Stats from Center for Disease Control
-3.2 million students in 6th-10th grade say they are a victim of bullying each day.
-Playground school bullying statistics show that every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervene 4 percent of the time, peers intervene 11 percent of the time, while there is no intervention 85 percent of the time.
-77 percent of kids are bullied mentally, verbally and physically.
-Only 10 percent of kids tell their parents that they have been bullied.
-Each day 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied.
-33 percent of students report being bullied at least once a month.
-6 out of 10 students say they witness someone being bullied daily.
ADHD
ScienceDaily (Aug. 17, 2010) — Nearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply because they are the youngest — and most immature — in their kindergarten class, according to new research by a Michigan State University economist.
Children misdiagnosed with ADHD are significantly more likely than their older classmates to be prescribed behavior-modifying stimulants such as Ritalin, said Todd Elder, whose study will appear in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Health Economics.
Such inappropriate treatment is particularly worrisome because of the unknown impacts of long-term stimulant use on children’s health, Elder said. It also wastes an estimated $320 million-$500 million a year on unnecessary medication — some $80 million-$90 million of it paid by Medicaid, he said.
Elder said the “smoking gun” of the study is that ADHD diagnoses depend on a child’s age relative to classmates and the teacher’s perceptions of whether the child has symptoms.
“If a child is behaving poorly, if he’s inattentive, if he can’t sit still, it may simply be because he’s 5 and the other kids are 6,” said Elder, assistant professor of economics. “There’s a big difference between a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old, and teachers and medical practitioners need to take that into account when evaluating whether children have ADHD.”
ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder for kids in the United States, with at least 4.5 million diagnoses among children under age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there are no neurological markers for ADHD (such as a blood test), and experts disagree on its prevalence, fueling intense public debate about whether ADHD is under-diagnosed or over-diagnosed, Elder said. (Credit: iStockphoto/Jani Bryson)
30 percent – 40 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have relatives with the same type of problem. (Clinical Pediatrics)
ADHD is the most common psychiatric condition affecting children, estimates in prevalence in childhood range from 5 – 10%. (Clinical Pediatrics)
VIOLENCE
A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that, in the past year, one quarter (26.7 percent) of adolescent girls participated in a serious fight at school or work, group-against-group fight, or an attack on others with the intent to inflict serious harm.
Key findings from the NSDUH survey include: The prevalence of these violent acts in the past year decreased as annual family income increased. The violent behaviors were reported by 36.5 percent of adolescent females who lived in families with annual incomes of less than $20,000, 30.5 percent of those in families with annual incomes of $20,000-$49,999, 22.8 percent with annual incomes of $50,000 to $74,999, and 20.7 percent with annual incomes of $75,000 or more.
In the past year, adolescent females who engaged in any of these violent behaviors were more likely than those who did not to have indicated past month binge alcohol use (15.1 vs. 6.9 percent), marijuana use (11.4 vs. 4.1 percent), and use of illicit drugs other than marijuana (9.2 vs. 3.2 percent).
Adolescent females who were not currently enrolled or attending school were more likely than those who were in school to have engaged in one of these violent behaviors in the past year (34.3 vs. 26.7 percent). Among those who attended school in the past year, rates of violent behaviors increased as academic grades decreased.
Survey Links Puberty to Violent Behavior
MONDAY, July 12 ,2010 (HealthDay News) — A large study by U.S. and Australian researchers suggests that puberty can be associated with a substantial increase in violent and socially aggressive behavior.
Researchers from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, and the University of Washington School of Social Work in Seattle, examined survey data from almost 6,000 kids between the ages of 10 and 15 and reported that the odds of a child acting out violently are roughly three times higher when the child is in the middle and end of this volatile life stage, compared with just entering it.
“Puberty is a time of transition for young people, both biologically and socially,” said study lead author Sheryl Hemphill, a senior research fellow at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. “It’s important that parents maintain open communication with their children and provide opportunities for them to engage in positive activities to prevent violence and aggression.”
SUICIDE
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 – 24 year olds (approx 5,000 young people) and the sixth leading cause of death for five – 15 year olds. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
The rate of suicide for this age group has nearly tripled since 1960, making it the third leading cause of death in adolescents and the second leading cause of death among college age youth. (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
More teenagers and young adults died as a result of suicide in 1999 than cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, birth defects, stroke and chronic lung disease combined. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
For every older teen and young adult who takes his or her own life, 100-200 of their peers attempts suicide. Between 500,000 and 1 million young people attempt suicide each year. (American Association of Suicidology)
Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 – 24 year olds.
Suicide is the 6th leading cause of death for 5-15 year olds.
Approximately 90% of children who commit suicide have a mental disorder.
Recent Statistics from Mental Health America
ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS: (Children’s Mental Health)
Children with mental disorders are estimated to range from 7.7 million to 12.8 million.
Approximately 79% of children with a mental disorder, between the ages of 6 -17 receive no mental health care.
Serious emotional disturbances affect 1 in 10 young people.
Approximately 1 in 10 cases of Anorexia will lead to death from cardiac arrest, suicide, or starvation.
Approximately 5%-10% of those diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia are male.
Anorexics are up to 10 times more likely to die because of their illness
15% of young US women not diagnosed with an eating disorder display substantially disordered eating behaviors and attitudes.
Estimated: 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder.
The onset of Binge Eating Disorder usually occurs during the late adolescence or in the early twenties.
The onset of major mental illness may occur as early as 7 to 11 years of age.
73% of children in juvenile detention facilities reported having mental health problems with 57% reporting having had prior mental health treatment/hospitalization.
21% of low-income children and youth ages 6 -17 have mental health problems.
Approximately 5% of children were prescribed medication for emotional and behavioral difficulties. Approximately 89% of the %5 were prescribed medication for hyperactivity, concentration, or impulsivity difficulties.
Approximately 2.9 million children (5.1%) were prescribed medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties.
Approximately5.3% (2.9 million) children received treatment for emotional or behavioral difficulties in addition to, or other than, medication.
Approximately 2/3 of all young people with mental health problems do not get the help they need.
Approximately 20% (1 in 5) of children/adolescents may have a diagnosable mental disorder.
High school students with mental health problems are more likely to fail or drop out of school.
Up to 14% of high school students with mental health problems receive grades consisting of mostly Ds & Fs compared to 7% of children with disabilities.
25%- 44% of high school students with mental health problems will drop out of school.
Approximately 30%-40% of children with ADHD have family member(s)/relatives with ADHD.
Estimated: 15% – 20% of children with ADHD have “Specific Learning Disability.” Estimated: 50% of children with a learning disability also have ADHD.
Approximately 3.4 of 1,000 children between the ages of 3-10 have autism.
As many as 1 in 10 children may suffer from an anxiety disorder.
A child’s chances of having an anxiety disorder are increased if their parents have an anxiety disorder.
Almost a third of 6-12 year old children diagnosed with major depression will, within a few years, develop bipolar disorders.
Approximately 40% of the children & teens in acute psychiatric hospitals suffer from bipolar disorder.
Approximately 1%-6% of school age children have Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
ODD is more common in prepubescent boys. After puberty both genders are equally affected.
Schizophrenia is rare in children under the age of 12.
Schizophrenia will affect approximately 1 out of 1,000 adolescents.
As many as 1 in 10 children/adolescents may have conduct disorder.
Conduct disorder affects 11%-4% of children 9-17 years old.
Conduct disorder is more common in boys than girls.
50% of children/youth within the child welfare system have mental health problems.
85% of children/ youth in the child welfare system do not receive the mental health services they need.
79% of children who have private health insurance /73% with public health insurance have unmet mental health needs.
1 in every 100-200 adolescent girls are affected by Anorexia.
Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents.