More children and young people seek care

The proportion of children and young people who both seek and receive care within BUP continues to increase – year after year.
This is shown by a new survey of child and youth psychiatry from Sweden’s municipalities and regions (SKR), which is released today.

– Overall, it is worrying, says Martin Rödholm, specialist in psychiatry at SKR.

6.4 percent of all people under the age of 18 in Sweden had contact with BUP last year, which is an increase compared to previous years, according to the figures. In particular, there are diagnoses that stand out, for example ADHD investigations, but also girls with eating disorders have increased in recent years.

But the large group are still those with anxiety and depression disorders.

– Overall, it is worrying, and it is clear that we cannot have upwards of six, eight, ten percent of all children and young people who go to specialist care, says Martin Rödholm, specialist in psychiatry at Sweden’s municipalities and regions.

Not just gloomy

At the same time, it is not only a gloomy development – but it can also be explained by the fact that the threshold for seeking help has decreased.

– It seems that it is more permissible to talk about it today, which is good. And that may explain some of the increase.

According to Martin Rödholm, it is important going forward to work more preventively and with early interventions to reverse the trend. But also that we continue to talk about mental illness among children and young people.

– I would say that it is a matter of fate for our society. After all, it’s about these children, they are the future.