Underdiagnosed and untreated
Published:Sunday | May 29, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer
OVER 100,000 children across Jamaica seen by a medical practitioner have been diagnosed with varying degrees of mental-health problems, according to lead child psychiatrist in The Ministry of Health, Dr Ganesh Shetty. More than half of the children assessed are severely ill, he revealed. Some of the mental problems affecting them are bipolar disorder, phobic disorder, suicidal tendencies, mental retardation, impaired social interaction and anxiety disorder.
"Mental health in children is a very serious issue that is not taken seriously. Something needs to be done urgently to deal with this problem," Shetty told The Sunday Gleaner.
He said the problem is so glaringly ignored that most of the resources available is geared towards adults.
"More than 90 per cent of children with mental-health issues are undiagnosed and untreated. In fact, we see about 6,000 children per year of the more than 100,000 that need help," said Shetty, who is the leading specialist on child mental health in Jamaica.
He stated that there were only 50 persons working in the Ministry of Health that focused on mental health, 10 of whom specialised exclusively with children, and they are shared among the 20 child guidance clinics islandwide.
He said that, If we don't help these youth now we may live to regret it later, as they may grow up to prey on society, turning to a life of crime, drug addiction, teen pregnancy or prostitution."
CHALLENGES
Noting that poorer children mainly from the inner-city communities were most vulnerable, he said a significant number of young gunmen, who shoot and kill without any mercy or remorse, were children who may have been abused, traumatised and neglected but got no form of help.
"I am afraid that if we don't urgently claim these youth with emotional and behavioural disorders as our own, the depression, drug addiction, drug lords and the area dons will claim them. And we will pay a greater price," the doctor stated.
Also challenging, he said, was the stigma associated with mental-health issues. Most parents live in denial and refuse to see this as a problem, while some do not have the time or the resources to take them to the clinic. They are also caught up in the day to day things of life, trying to survive, which they consider more important. Some also are paranoid and suspicious, resenting anyone wanting to intrude in their lives.
One of the other issues, Shetty noted, was poor parenting. He said the 'bully parenting' method many employed only served to retraumatise the children that they were trying to help.
Other issues that affect their progress in trying to help was the child's continued exposure to traumatic experiences including crime, violence, and child neglect, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. He also listed lack of positive role models, peer pressure, lack of school and community involvement and alienation of the child and family because of where they live as other challenging factors.
Shetty believes there has to be a comprehensive approach from the community, churches and private sector, who need to invest the necessary resources to address the psychological, social, spiritual, physical, educational and financial needs of the children.
"It is difficult to help a child in a fragmented fashion, there has to be a comprehensive approach," stated the child psychologist, who is based at the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department.
"The chronic cases, especially, need ongoing treatment for months or years to have any real results."
He also recommends identifying and treating those affected from within the school system as well as administering behavioural therapy. He believes it is important for guidance counsellors at schools to shadow the clinicians to gain hands-on experience in order to continue the treatment on their own.
"A timely and effective trauma-informed intervention not only minimises their suffering and risk for developing post-traumatic stress but may restore their life trajectory onto a positive growth," Shetty concluded.