Childhood Disorders

Childhood disorders, often labeled as developmental disorders or learning disorders, most often occur and are diagnosed when the child is of school-age. Although some adults may also relate to some of the symptoms of these disorders, typically the disorder's symptoms need to have first appeared at some point in the person's childhood. It is not unusual for a child to have more than one disorder.

About 20% of American children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness during a given year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Further, nearly 5 million American children and adolescents suffer from a serious mental illness (one that significantly interferes with their day-to-day life).

At CHI Health, we practice medicine that's patient-focused and family-centered. We never lose sight of the fact that your child is, first and foremost, an individual—not merely a patient—and we include your family at every stage of the treatment process.

Symptoms

Children's symptoms vary depending on the type of mental illness, but some of the general symptoms include:

• Changes in school performance, such as poor grades despite good efforts
• Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol
• Inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
• Excessive complaints of physical ailments
• Defying authority, skipping school, stealing, or damaging property
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Long-lasting negative moods, often accompanied by poor appetite and thoughts of death
• Frequent outbursts of anger
• Loss of interest in friends and activities they usually enjoy
• Significant increase in time spent alone
• Excessive worrying or anxiety
• Hyperactivity
• Persistent nightmares or night terrors
• Persistent disobedience or aggressive behavior
• Frequent temper tantrums
• Hearing voices or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)

Childhood Disorders We Treat

• Anxiety Disorders
  • Separation Anxiety Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Phobias
  • Selective Mutism
• Pervasive Development Disorders
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism
  • Rett's Disorder
  • Aspergers
• Disruptive Behavior Disorders
  • Conduct Disorder
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder
  • Expressive Language Disorder
• Elimination Disorders
• Learning and Communication Disorders
  
  • Stuttering
  • Dysarthria
  • Language-Based Learning Disabilities
  • Selective Mutism
  • Reading Disorders/Dyslexia
  • Written Expression Disorders
  • Mathematics Disorders
• Affective (Mood) Disorders
  
  • Depression
  • Bipolar
• Schizophrenia
  
  • Paranoid
  • Disorganized
  • Catatonic
• Tic Disorders
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Transient Tic Disorder
  • Stereotypic Movement Disorder

Treatment

CHI Health mental health professionals offer a wide range of effective therapies and treatments, drawing on significant advances in procedures and technologies. Like mental illnesses in adults, childhood disorders usually require a combination of medication and supportive psychological therapies either in the hospital or on an outpatient basis. Of course, we recommend a consultation with a mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis and discussion of various treatment options. When you meet with a professional, be sure to work together to establish clear treatment goals for your child and to monitor progress toward those goals.