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- Nearly one-third of children have been traumatized and one in 13 has PTSD.
- A study of 2,232 children in England and Wales found that those who experience trauma are twice as likely to have mental health problems.
- Symptoms of PTSD include negative and scary experiences, troubling nightmares, isolation and irritability.
- Half of children with PTSD were self-injurious and one in five had attempted suicide.
- But only one in five received the help he needed. The researchers said that young people "overcome gaps in care".
According to a study by King's College London, one in 13 young people could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The study, published in The Lancet, found that 31% of children under 18 had a traumatic experience and those who did so were twice as likely to suffer from mental health problems.
More than 2,000 children born in England and Wales in 1994-1995 participated in the study and were assessed for interviewing.
The researchers concluded that one in four children who suffered trauma suffered post-traumatic stress disorder when they reported symptoms such as reliving negative and frightening experiences, troubling nightmares, avoiding anything that might remind them trauma, isolation and detachment, irritability, impulsivity, guilt and difficulty concentrating. This is nearly 8% of all young people.
The results also showed that only one in five children had consulted a mental health professional and that one in three had talked to their GP about their symptoms over the last year.
"Our findings should serve as an alarm bell," said Andrea Danese, senior researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. "Injuries in childhood are a public health problem, but trauma-related disorders often go unnoticed."
Young people with PTSD "fill gaps in care," she said. It is therefore urgent that they have better access to mental health services.
The results also showed that young people with PTSD were more likely to have other mental health disorders. For example, half self-mutilated and one in five attempted suicide. Half had also experienced social isolation or loneliness.
In December 2018, a study by the Office for National Statistics found that 11.3% of children often said they were alone and those who said they were not happy with their relationship were more likely to feel lonely.
Last July, Childline – a youth counseling service – reported receiving nearly 5,000 solitary calls in one year. This was an increase of 14% over the previous year.
Read more:Solitary millennia are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, but the reasons for their isolation are unclear.
"Young people who have been exposed to trauma often have complex problems, which are becoming increasingly difficult to assess and treat," said Stephanie Lewis, a fellow trainee in clinical research training at the IoPPN, and lead author of the study. "Providing effective treatments early on could prevent mental health problems from continuing into adulthood."
PTSD can be caused by a range of experiences ranging from directly assaulting a person, going through an injury or a sexual violation, to observing someone who has been diagnosed with it. ;other. Three-quarters of young victims of sexual assault have developed PTSD.
The researchers said that better identification of PTSD symptoms was essential so that more young people could get the mental health help they needed.
"We encourage parents and caregivers to seek the help of health professionals if their children are exposed to trauma and have painful psychological symptoms," Lewis said.
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