One in ten children is suffering mental health problems

One in ten children under the age of 15 is suffering from mental illness and the prevalence of mental disorders is on the increase, according to a report published yesterday by the British Medical Association.

While many severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, do not present themselves until late adolescence, children can suffer from a range of emotional disorders such as anxieties, phobias and obsessive disorders. Teenagers also have higher rates of suicidal depression than adults.

Many children are not receiving care because their symptoms - including troubled sleeping, temper tantrums, and obsessive behaviour - are being confused with growing pains.