Child & Adolescent Private Psychiatric Mental Healthcare
About 1 in 6 children aged between 5 and 19 have a diagnosable mental health problem, yet only 70% of them are able to access treatment and support.
About 75% of mental illnesses are thought to start before the age of 25.
Below are the most common reasons children and young people need to see us.
Note: Animo Health is unable to provide a Crisis Response service. If you have urgent well-being concerns please contact your GP, NHS 111 or 999, or attend A&E in case of emergency.
What children and young people should expect
At the virtual appointment, you will meet with Dr Ronzoni. Although it depends on the circumstances and your age, your parents will usually be invited to join for part of this meeting but they can stay for the whole time, or not at all, if that is your preference. Virtual, which allow for more flexibility and people from anywhere in the country to see us.
When you meet Dr Ronzoni, it is his job to make you feel comfortable so don’t worry too much as there are no right or wrong answers. He would like to get to know you through some questions, such as what you are struggling with? how you have been feeling? how long you have experienced the problems? Other important questions will be around your school and friends.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders vary but about 25% of children will have an Anxiety disorder before the age of 18. These cause extreme fear and worry, and changes in a child's behaviour, sleep, eating, or mood.
Different anxiety disordes include:
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder
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Separation Anxiety Disorder
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Social Anxiety Disorder
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Panic Disorder
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a common medical condition present in about 5 to 7% of children.
A child with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.
The presentation varies significantly between boys and girls and the main symptoms change depending on the age of the child.
Trauma
A traumatic event is a frightening, dangerous, or violent event that poses a threat to a child’s life or bodily integrity. Witnessing a traumatic event that threatens life or physical security of a loved one can also be traumatic. This is particularly important for young children as their sense of safety depends on the perceived safety of their attachment figures.
Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event. Children may feel terror, helplessness, or fear, as well as physiological reactions.
Mood Disorders
Childhood mood disorders such as major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder have been found to be highly prevalent among children and adolescents. An estimated 20% of people will have had one depressive episode before the age of 18.
The emotional and behavioral dysfunction associated with mood disorders can cause impairments across areas of functioning, including academic and social arenas.
Specific Learning Difficulties
A specific learning difficulty (SpLD) is a difficulty with some particular aspects of learning. The most common SpLDs are Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia. While they are not a mental health problem, they are commonly associated with ADHD (they coexist in more than 50% of cases) and Autism (they coexist in more than 40% of cases)
Disordered Eating
Eating Disorders, like Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa affect a large number of young people. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of their treatment, they cannot be managed by as they require a more specialised and comprehensive treatment. However, Disordered Eating sits on a spectrum between normal eating and an Eating Disorder and may include symptoms and behaviours of eating disorders, but at a lesser frequency or lower level of severity, and may include may include restrictive eating, compulsive eating, or irregular or inflexible eating patterns. Disordered Eating is frequently a symptom of other mental health conditions and in these circumstances, identifying what is the underlying issue tends to be right approach to treatment.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
ASD is more common than originally thoughts. about 1 in 100 children will meet diagnostic criteria. ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges.
People with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged.
Emotional Dysregulation
When a person becomes emotionally dysregulated, they may react in an emotionally exaggerated manner to environmental and interpersonal challenges by displaying bursts of anger, crying, control, passive-aggressive behaviours, or by creating conflict. It is not unusual for a person to have poor reality testing when dysregulated. Self-harming behaviour and suicidal ideation is not uncommon during periods of high emotional reactivity.
Challenging Behaviours
Behavioural problems in children are common, and generally seen earlier in life when the expected tantrums of the "terrible twos" continue into later childhood. These are then called "meltdowns", as they are a sign of emotional distress.
There are many causes, from parenting approaches and difficulties in the school environment, to the behaviours being linked to other mental health conditions such as ADHD, ASD or anxiety. While behavioural problems are not a mental health condition, it is important to understand the underlying cause so interventions can be implemented.