Please note: The following information is not intended to be used to diagnose a child or adolescent’s mental health condition. This is provided as a resource of information. Any clinical assessment of needs or diagnosis must be done by a qualified clinician.
ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. Children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers. If untreated, the disorder can have long-term adverse effects into adolescence and adulthood.
Anxiety is a natural reaction to stressful situations and it can help us cope with a tense situation. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder. The five basic types of anxiety disorders are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Phobia (or Social Anxiety Disorder).
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. These disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range from a severe form, called autistic disorder, through pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), to a much milder form, Asperger syndrome. They also include two rare disorders, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder.
Our sister facility, Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, provides highly specialized inpatient care for children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum. Streamwood’s Children’s Center has a 10-bed program dedicated to children ages 4–11 years old, and an 8-bed program dedicated to adolescents ages 12–17 years old, diagnosed within the autism spectrum.
Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a serious medical illness that causes shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe.
Depression within children and adolescents is common. The outward symptoms of depression are not always easily recognizable. The depressed child may refuse to go to school, pretend to be sick, cling to a parent or worry that the parent may die. Older children may be experiencing school problems, a “negative” attitude and irritability. It can be difficult to determine whether a child is just going through a temporary “phase” or is suffering from depression.
Suicide is a major, preventable public health problem. The rates of youth suicide are alarming.
Youth Suicide Facts
Note: If you or someone you know is at risk for suicide, get help immediately.