Earlier this week, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Family doctors recommend screening all children between the ages of 8 and 18. anxietyregardless of whether they show symptoms.
This is the first time a panel of health professionals has issued such guidance.
We also reaffirmed that children aged 12 to 18 should be screened for depression.
Between 2016 and 2019, 5.7 to 2.8 million children were diagnosed with anxiety or depression. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This move by the USPSTF aims to detect and treat these disorders early.
“For older children and teens, screening and follow-up care can reduce symptoms of depression and improve and potentially resolve anxiety. read the statement.
“However, there is very limited evidence about the benefits and harms of screening children under age 8 for anxiety and depression under age 12.”
Screening all children could ‘help minimize stigma’
Anxiety and depression are often discovered in school after they have already affected a child’s performance. Williamsburg Therapy Group.
Your doctor may have the ability to “catch signs and symptoms that may be difficult to observe early on.”
A few Signs Your Child May Have Anxiety, Gorelik says, include seeking constant reassurance about their safety. For example, you may repeatedly ask your parent, “Are you okay?” before going to bed.
Anxiety may present itself as an illogical illness, such as constant nausea or stomach pains.
For many children, major life changes such as changing schools or divorce can also cause anxiety.
The new recommendations could help reduce the likelihood that children will be ashamed of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
“By screening all children, we can minimize stigma around mental health issues and spark support conversations,” says Gorelik.
Screening all children helps minimize stigma around mental health issues and spark support conversations.
Irina Gorelik
child psychologist
