Rise in child mental health ED visits ‘alarming’
Eating disorders are among the conditions most likely to lead to hospital admission, study shows
Among children presenting to the ED with an acute mental health issue, those diagnosed with eating disorders are the most likely to be admitted to hospital, research shows.
Emergency physicians at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital have analysed data from 1071 patients under 18 who attended their ED for mental health reasons in 2018.
Among the children (ages 7-17, 67% female) the most common reasons for seeking medical care were suicidal ideation, self-harm and drug overdose.
And the top three reasons for admission were suicidal ideation (43%), drug overdose (15%) and eating disorders (13%).
