Mental health emergency room visits for children and adolescents are increasing dramatically, study finds

BALTIMORE — Teen mental health is in crisis, and the data is hard to ignore.

Research from the Journal of The American Medical Association reveals a sharp increase in emergency room visits for children and teens, from 4.8 million to 7.5 million between 2011 and 2020.

Sharon Vandivere identified mental health symptoms in her 14-year-old daughter, which helped her get the help she needed.

“She engaged in risky behaviors, like lying in the middle of the road, or holding a knife or putting a string around her neck and threatening to choke, or burning the ends of her long hair,” said Vandivere.

Complex mental health needs in the midst of a pandemic added to the support many families needed.

“We were in the ER maybe about 14 times for assessments and eight of those times she ended up going to a mental institution right after that,” Vandivere said.

Dr Rishi Gautam, of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, said proper intervention has proven far too difficult with the overwhelming rate of young people visiting the emergency room.

“On average, at any given time, we see at least 5 to 7 children waiting in an emergency room for a plan for an inpatient hospital bed or outpatient treatment per day,” Dr Gautam said.

It’s a cyclical nightmare that Vandivere has faced for years and cost nearly $20,000 in medical bills.

The Montgomery County mother said she missed so much work and was even negative on vacation and sick leave, eventually having to take family medical leave to make up for the time she would need.

“The problem is you’re coming out of the hospital and the kid is just home or maybe going to a day program and it’s not like the issues are resolved,” Vandivere said.

Healthcare providers have been struggling to find a lasting solution.

“The ER has become this space where families are metaphorically stuck in limbo and there’s no clear answer as to what the next step should be,” Dr Gautam said.

The question, of course, is what can be done to fix this problem?

Dr. Gautam emphasizes paying attention to the signs your child displays, increasing isolation and irritability, disengagement from family and friends and persistent low mood, as well as changes in sleep and mood. appetite or grades.

Dr Gautam said change has been slow to materialize for so many families.

“Our hearts break when children have to go through the ER over and over again looking for the same things,” Dr Gautam said.

There is a glimmer of good news.

Families trying to deal with mental health issues should first go to the emergency room to begin the treatment process.

They can also call the National Suicide Hotline or call the 988 crisis hotline. Another resource is a behavioral health agency.

Nicky Zizaza

Nicky Zizaza joined WJZ in July 2022. She hosts the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. newscasts with Rick Ritter.