The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending annual screening for mental, emotional and behavioral health conditions in children.
The report outlines guidance for pediatricians to begin screening within the first month after birth by identifying postpartum depression in caregivers, and to initiate child-focused screening at 6 months of age, according to an Aug. 25 Pediatrics report. Screenings are then recommended at well-child visits at 1, 2 and 3 years old, and annually thereafter.
The recommendations follow growing concerns over youth mental health in the U.S., with nearly 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 living with behavioral and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD or suicidal ideation, according to the CDC. Suicide has become the second-leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 14 in 2020, and the third-leading cause among those ages 15 to 24. The suicide rate rose 42% between 2000 and 2017, according to the news release.
Pediatricians are well-positioned to identify early symptoms and connect families to appropriate support. The report also offers strategies for organizing pediatric practices around mental healthcare and acting on positive screening results. Research cited in the report found a two- to four-year window often exists between the emergence of symptoms and development of a full condition.
