Mental disorders among minors are at risk of becoming chronic. The alarm was launched by the Guarantor Authority for Children and Adolescents (Agia). "The neurodevelopmental and mental health problems of children and young people that emerged during the pandemic risk becoming chronic and spreading on a large scale", stated the President of Agia, Carla Garlatti.
Last week the Guarantor for children and adolescents published the study "Pandemic, neurodevelopment and mental health of children and young people", promoted with the Higher Institute of Health (ISS), with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education . The research, the first scientific one of national significance, identifies among the pathologies: eating behavior, attempted suicide and suicide, self-harm.
For the research Over 90 experts were interviewed, including child neuropsychiatrists, paediatricians, social workers, psychologists, pedagogues and teachers. The professionals interviewed - it is explained - reported eating disorders, suicidal ideation (attempted suicide and suicide), self-harm, alterations in the sleep-wake rhythm and social withdrawal.
In the educational field, then, they have been found learning, attention and language disorders, conduct disorders and cognitive and emotional regulation, as well as fear of contagion, state of frustration and uncertainty about the future, generating insecurity and cases of school dropout.
It has also been reported a increase in requests for help for the use of psychoactive substances, cannabinoids and alcohol, while unaccompanied migrant minors have shown difficulties in managing isolation and quarantine in reception facilities.
More generally the pandemic has caused what the professionals interviewed by the research team defined as a real "mental health emergency". In fact, there has been a surge in requests for help which in many cases has been accompanied by inadequacy and unfairness in responses which have highlighted structural deficiencies and delays prior to the coronavirus.
Children, young people and families have often found themselves forced to turn to private individuals with significant and difficult to sustain economic commitments, which have increased inequalities. At the same time, the lockdown has revealed the potential of telemedicine applied to mental health, but we need to quickly invest in operator training and specific technologies to assist children and young people.
Faced with this scenario of mental disorders among minors the Guarantor Authority has formulated a series of recommendations. "Among them there is first and foremost the need for planning, prevention and treatment actions to overcome regional and local fragmentation. The post-pandemic phase can be an extraordinary opportunity to do so and in general to improve the system. But there is no It's time to waste."
"Adequate resources for services must be provided - stated President Carla Garlatti - and specific responses provided based on age, a number of beds must be guaranteed in departments dedicated to minors and school psychology services must be established in order to activate a connection between school and territory. It is equally important to bring about a cultural change by intervening on the educational role and promoting intergenerational dialogue".
The research lasted a year and will continue for another two, involving up to 35,000 minors aged 6 to 18 in the five regions involved in the study. It was validated by a committee chaired by Professor Paolo Petralia and made up of authoritative representatives from the scientific, academic and psycho-social professions.
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