Childhood Mental Illness If Left Untreated Can Cause Psychiatric Troubles Later In Life: Study

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Mental problems are now hitting the children as well. New reports suggest that when this condition is left untreated, it might result in psychiatric troubles later in life.

Dr. Pooky Knightsmith, an emotional health adviser and director of the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, a charity educating young people to stay mentally well, revealed that their organization receives an increasing number of primary schools asking for help.

"Sadly we are getting more requests about how to support anxiety, self-harm, depression and eating disorders in upper primary," she told The Huffington Post UK. She stressed that they are doing more preventive work in the primary setting, where positive grounds can be laid.

The mental health adviser was perplexed that three years ago, primary schools were the rare exception.

"We are, without doubt, seeing an increase in children who are really struggling at younger and younger ages," she said. "It's heartbreaking."

According to BBC, the National Association of Head Teachers revealed that among its key concern is having a fifth of children with mental health problem. A survey of 1,445 English heads suggests that two-thirds of primary schools cannot deal with the said issue.

The government announced that they already ring-fenced £1.4bn for children's mental health. However, this might not still cater every child's needs.

"We know the government is determined to improve children's mental health but there's still a danger that some children will take untreated mental problems into adulthood," said Russell Hobby, general secretary of the heads' union, NAHT.

Hobby announced that three-quarters of school leaders reported their lack of resources to address the mental health care that their students need. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of primary school leaders expressed their difficulty in accessing local mental health professionals.

"Schools play a vital role in supporting children's mental health and building their resilience - but rising demand, growing complexity and tight budgets can get in the way of helping the children who need it most."

According to Catherine Roche, chief executive of the mental health charity Place2Be, children faced different struggles in school including coping with parental separation, illness or death of a loved one, domestic violence, and dealing with substance.

Per The Huffington Post UK, children from poorer families are four times more likely to have serious mental health problems than those from a wealthy family.

At the time, most schools were already working hard to support their children. However, Roche added, "Teachers are not counsellors, and sometimes schools need professional support to make sure that problems in childhood do not spiral into bigger mental health problems later in life."