Children with ADHD and other more visible disorders are more likely to receive a diagnosis and resources than children who struggle with anxiety or depression, reports RÚV.
Chief physician at the Children’s Mental Health Centre, Ólafur Guðmundsson, indicates that there are growing numbers of children struggling with less visible problems.
“The most visible is when the problem manifests itself in some kind of rampant behavior and really disturbs adults or other children. It’s more likely to get caught,” says Ólafur. “But there is also a more invisible problem that relates more to feelings like anxiety and depression, which research around us has been showing has actually been on the rise in recent years.”
It is becoming more apparent that there are large numbers of children who need help who are being overlooked because their struggles are less visible to others.
“We see in the school system, where many children are being diagnosed with suspected neurodevelopmental disorders, especially ADHD and other conditions associated with impulsive behavior,” says Ólafur. “So it is clear that children with such problems are much more likely to be diagnosed and possibly treated.”
Ólafur says children with high levels of anxiety, depression, or avoidant behavior are more likely to go under the radar. They often disappear from reality, socially isolate, and even dropout of school, yet they do not receive the same level of support.
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