All teens should be tested for depression

[mlr1m]

Could this be another back door approach at gun control, similar to what was tried with vetrans?

Panel: All teens should be tested for depression - Mental health- msnbc.com

Panel: All teens should be tested for depression
2 million in U.S. are affected but most are undiagnosed, task force says

updated 7:28 a.m. CT, Mon., March. 30, 2009

CHICAGO - An influential government-appointed medical panel is urging doctors to routinely screen all American teens for depression — a bold step that acknowledges that nearly 2 million teens are affected by this debilitating condition.

Most are undiagnosed and untreated, said the panel, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which sets guidelines for doctors on a host of health issues.

The task force recommendations appear in April's issue of the journal Pediatrics. And they go farther than the American Academy of Pediatrics' own guidance for teen depression screening.

An estimated 6 percent of U.S. teenagers are clinically depressed. Evidence shows that detailed but simple questionnaires can accurately diagnose depression in primary-care settings such as a pediatrician's office.

The task force said that when followed by treatment, including psychotherapy, screening can help improve symptoms and help kids cope. Because depression can lead to persistent sadness, social isolation, school problems and even suicide, screening to treat it early is crucial, the panel said.

The task force is an independent panel of experts convened by the federal government to establish guidelines for treatment in primary-care. Its new guidance goes beyond the pediatrics academy, which advises pediatricians to ask teen patients questions about depression. Other doctor groups advise screening only high-risk youngsters.

Because depression is so common, "you will miss a lot if you only screen high-risk groups," said Dr. Ned Calonge, task force chairman and chief medical officer for Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment.

Screening advised even for kids without symptoms
The group recommends research-tested screening tests even for kids without symptoms. It cited two questionnaires that focus on depression tip-offs, such as mood, anxiety, appetite and substance abuse.

Calonge stressed that the panel does not want its advice to lead to drug treatment alone, particularly antidepressants that have been linked with increased risks for suicidal thoughts. Routine depression testing should only occur if psychotherapy is also readily available, the panel said. Calonge said screening once yearly likely would be enough.

The recommendations come at a pivotal time for treatment of depression and other mental health problems in children.

Recently passed federal mental health equity legislation mandates equal coverage for mental and physical ailments in insurance plans offering both. The law is expected to prompt many more adults and children to seek mental health care.

Yet at the same time psychiatrists specializing in treating children and teens are scarce. A separate report, also released Monday in the Pediatrics journal, says primary care doctors including pediatricians and family physicians will need to get more involved in mental health care.

That report is from the pediatrics academy and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The groups say pediatricians should routinely consult with child psychiatrists, including working in the same office when possible. And it says insurers should compensate pediatricians for any mental health services they provide.

Pediatricians can play major role
Dr. Alan Axelson, a Pittsburgh psychiatrist who co-authored the second report, praised the task force recommendations and said pediatricians can play a key role.

Because children's families often get to know their pediatricians, having those doctors offer mental health screening can help make it seem less stigmatizing, Axelson said.

Most pediatricians aren't trained to do psychotherapy, but they can prescribe depression medication and monitor patients they've referred to others for therapy, he said.

Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said his group strongly supports both Pediatrics reports.

While primary care doctors have full plates just dealing with physical ailments, many recognize the importance of providing mental health services — and many already do, Epperly said.

It isn't always as time-consuming as it might seem; some screening questionnaires can be filled out by patients in the waiting room, Epperly said. Doctors can easily spot any red flags.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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What teenagers don't have some problems? This will be a great way to label them for life. Will this testing be mandatory? Will this be enough to deny them their right to arm themselves at a later date?
Lots of questions need to be asked.

Michael

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ExSoldier]

I've been a high school teacher for 20 years. ALL kids are screwed up. Part of the reason is the age. Part of the reason is the age is a DEVOLVEMENT in evolution, OR a massive joke on God's part. It's not going to get any better and will in fact get much worse. Why? The kids are products of their parents who are products of their grandparents and well the idea is that the REAL problem lies in the public schools and that goes back to the mid 1960s. The so called "Dumbing Down" process you've all heard so much about it very real.

They won't need to worry about all teens arming themselves, only the ones like I teach in the inner city. Well only the THUGS there and they're not all that bad.

The others will fall right into line with the anti's message of statist, elitist, socialist government where the people work for government and not the reverse. It's already well underway. I think this article is a distraction from reality.

[Hopyard]

There is a line in the above post, "screening advised even for kids without symptoms,"

I couldn't tell if that was a participant's objection to the recommendation, or a line from the article.

If the recommendation is that a seemingly healthy child should be screened for depression as part of whatever routine medical care the child receives, I have no problem with that. We take our children for "check ups" when they are healthy, hope nothing is found that is wrong, and get them treated if something is wrong. So, from that perspective, this seems a perfectly reasonable thing to do. It is after all the doc's job to find, detect, and treat, illness in his/her patients.

What would concern me is screening done as some sort of mandate from school officials; or as part of "mass testing*." E.g., giving all kids questionnaires and then demanding that the parent take the child for further care. On the surface that might make some sense but it gets a little too far into the busy body world.
__________________________________________________ _____
*otoh, I was certainly a beneficiary of school vision testing when I was in first grade. So, I'm not going to knock school health screening as a general concept.

If I had a young kiddo and took him to a doc for a general checkup, I would hope that neurological and mental health issues would be considered.

[Rock and Glock]

An estimated 6 percent of U.S. teenagers are clinically depressed.

For 6% of the population?

I am sorry, but the conclusion is stupid as a tree stump. Jeez.......

Ex got it right. It's all about hormones, un-wired brains, and control.

[United93]

If I had a young kiddo and took him to a doc for a general checkup, I would hope that neurological and mental health issues would be considered.

I agree.

[Bunny]

This is as bad as trying to mandate all GIRLS ages 9 and up get vaccinated for HPV virus!

Grrrr!

[mlr1m]

If I had a young kiddo and took him to a doc for a general checkup, I would hope that neurological and mental health issues would be considered.

Its different nowdays. These records will probably be put in some database that could possibly follow these children their entire lives. I'm not sure I trust the future Government with this information. Will it be used for us or against us? Do we really want someone who have been diagnosed as depressed to own a gun? How about driving a buss? Maybe i'm paranoid.

Michael

[SelfDefense]

This is as bad as trying to mandate all GIRLS ages 9 and up get vaccinated for HPV virus!

Grrrr!

+1

Government mandated screening for mental disorders is downright creepy. In many cases, we are not even talking about doctors doing MRIs and CAT scans. We are talking about psychologists determining a childs future based on a limited interview. What a joke! If a parent wants to take their kid to someone like that, fine. But for government to intervene in parental rights is completely out of line and offensive.

Further, since when is being sad a disease. And if you are sometimes happy and sometimes sad you are 'bipolar.' Here come the drugs... Let's get a dose of reality instead of a dose of prozac. All people go through happiness and sadness. It's called life.

[Hopyard]

Its different nowdays. These records will probably be put in some database that could possibly follow these children their entire lives. I'm not sure I trust the future Government with this information. Will it be used for us or against us? Do we really want someone who have been diagnosed as depressed to own a gun? How about driving a buss? Maybe i'm paranoid.

Michael

Maybe you're paranoid? Nah.

I think you have a legitimate concern about stigmatization. I have concerns about computerized medical records precisely because I do not believe entries will be secure and not misused.

Still, what is the alternative? I'd want a doc to tell me if my kid, for example, admitted to the doc that he was suicidal or homicidal, or even if the kid just admitted that s/he cried himself or herself to bed every night or was profoundly unhappy.

Anxiety and depression go together, and in today's world the kiddos certainly have plenty to be anxious about.

When I was growing up we were required to read newspapers and report what we read in school; and tv, which was a fairly new thing gave us our news as well. Today, the news is usually so awful it is wiser to not let the kids watch it or read about it.

Headline-- Three year old kidnapped from home, as one example.

[ccw9mm]

All teens should be tested for depression

All thinking bipeds living in anything other than aboriginal settings should be tested for being bummed about the way of things. I agree completely. Hey ... another government program!!!

[Hopyard]

This is as bad as trying to mandate all GIRLS ages 9 and up get vaccinated for HPV virus!

Grrrr!

I'm generally a strong advocate of childhood and adult vaccination programs and a strong voice for public health initiatives. Unfortunately, I agree with you regarding HPV and HepC vaccines.

Some things should be recommended, but remain parental choice.

So long as a disease can not be contracted or spread by casual and random interactions, the way mumps is, I don't see that it is any of the business of government to get involved. Let the Family Doc counsel and recommend, and the parent decide.

I'm glad I had a son, and he was a teen long before the herpes vaccine came along. I truly don't know how I would have reacted to a demand that a pre-adolescent daughter be given that vaccine---probably I would not have reacted well at all.

[Rock and Glock]

If the recommendation is that a seemingly healthy child should be screened for depression as part of whatever routine medical care the child receives, I have no problem with that. We take our children for "check ups" when they are healthy, hope nothing is found that is wrong, and get them treated if something is wrong. So, from that perspective, this seems a perfectly reasonable thing to do. It is after all the doc's job to find, detect, and treat, illness in his/her patients.

As a parent of two twentysomethings, I agree, when I take them to my private physician and pay for it myself. As a matter of fact, that is something a prudent doctor does in the normal course, and parents actively engaged watch for clinical symptoms.

As a mass screening at school or elsewhere....Hmm.....they'll be absent that day! Sick, I believe.......with......<gasp>.....Swine Flu!

Government mandated screening for mental disorders is downright creepy. In many cases, we are not even talking about doctors doing MRIs and CAT scans. We are talking about psychologists determining a childs future based on a limited interview. What a joke! If a parent wants to take their kid to someone like that, fine. But for government to intervene in parental rights is completely out of line and offensive.

Agreed 100%.

[SelfDefense]

I'm glad I had a son, and he was a teen long before the herpes vaccine came along.

There is no herpes vaccine. HPV is a different virus.

[mlr1m]

Maybe you're paranoid? Nah.

I think you have a legitimate concern about stigmatization. I have concerns about computerized medical records precisely because I do not believe entries will be secure and not misused.

Still, what is the alternative? I'd want a doc to tell me if my kid, for example, admitted to the doc that he was suicidal or homicidal, or even if the kid just admitted that s/he cried himself or herself to bed every night or was profoundly unhappy.

Anxiety and depression go together, and in today's world the kiddos certainly have plenty to be anxious about.

When I was growing up we were required to read newspapers and report what we read in school; and tv, which was a fairly new thing gave us our news as well. Today, the news is usually so awful it is wiser to not let the kids watch it or read about it.

Headline-- Three year old kidnapped from home, as one example.

Is this going to be your own personal doctor or a school nurse or councilor? Will it be run by the same people that just don't understand why all the uproar was created over strip searching a little girl? How bout by the Center for Disease Control who thinks owing a gun is a disease?

I don't mind the government making suggestions but I will continue to put my trust in the parents.

Michael

[nedrgr21]

Its different nowdays. These records will probably be put in some database that could possibly follow these children their entire lives. I'm not sure I trust the future Government with this information. Will it be used for us or against us? ...

Michael

Already are - it's called an MIB - medical information bureau. Whenever your insurance is billed for something the expenses get reported - maybe not the results, but it would still let the gov't or others know something might be up. Just like a credit report, you can get one free copy per year.