Children too face psychiatric problems: Expert

Vijayawada: Not only adults but children also face psychiatric problems due to modern lifestyle, said child psychiatrist Dr K Manasa while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home with Dr G Samaram in the chair here on Saturday.

Dr Manasa expressing concern over the growing psychiatric problems among children, said with the advent of nuclear families and disappearance of joint families, the psychiatric problems among children are growing.

Anxiety, depression, insecurity and irresponsibility of parents are some of the causes for psychiatric disorders among children, she said. "The aloofness is damaging their personality resulting in disorders," she said.

Disorders like autism, attention deficiency and hyper activity should be corrected in the childhood otherwise this might lead to psychiatric disorders in the later years, she pointed out.

She said extreme difference in feelings, anxiety, fearfulness, loneliness, cannot concentrate on anything, negligence in personal hygiene and food, extreme anger and disobedience are some of the symptoms of disorders.

Some people resort to masochism, addiction to substances, not caring for family values. "In some cases, the symptoms are visible like hallucinations and indulging in troubles," she said.

The psychic disorders should be identified at an early stage among children and treated. "Otherwise, they suffer throughout the life," she said. If the children are taken care of by the parents, the children would not face any problems. She suggested that the parents should spend more time with children and play with them to make them happy children. Dr G Maru proposed a vote of thanks.