of a national health survey found that 14.9% of children ages 5–17 years received mental health treatment in the previous 12 months, including 8.2% who took psychiatric medication and 11.5% who had counseling or therapy with a mental health professional. The federal agency noted that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and behavioral issues were the most common complaints among school-age children.
“Boys continue to be more likely than girls to receive medication for their mental health, children in rural settings continue to be more likely to receive medication for their mental health than children in suburban and urban settings, and non-Hispanic White children continue to receive mental health treatment at a higher rate than children of other races and Hispanic-origin,” Mr. Zablotsky told The Washington Times.
An estimated 9% of boys and 7.3% of girls took medication for their mental health, while 11% of boys and 12.1% of girls received therapy.