Referrals to specialised child psychiatric care increased before the pandemic

Background  Psychiatric symptoms in children have increased.

Methods  The study examined changes in the number of referrals to the child psychiatry department of Tampere University Hospital between 2009 and 2019. The reasons and background factors for referrals were also analysed by reviewing the first 100 referrals in both 2009 and 2019.

Results  The number of referrals nearly doubled during the study period. There were no significant changes in the symptoms leading to referrals. The most common reasons for referral were behavioural symptoms, emotional symptoms end attention difficulties. The need for family support described in the referrals increased. The number of psychiatric medications prescribed to school-aged children mentioned in the referrals also increased.

Conclusions  The total number of referrals and emergency referrals increased significantly. These findings align with previous observations. The increased need for family support may be an important underlying factor in the rise in referrals. Further research on the topic is needed. 

Maria Kajovirta, Kirsi Kakko, Reija Latva