Kids With Mental Ills Often Treated Solely by Primary Care Doctors

MONDAY, Oct. 12, 2015 — Family doctors and pediatricians are often the sole source of a child's mental health care, particularly for kids suffering from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
More than one-third of U.S. kids receiving care for a mental health problem are treated by their primary care physician alone, without the involvement of a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker, according to a new study.
And four out of 10 children with ADHD are treated by a primary care physician without any collaboration with a mental health professional.
Primary care physicians also appear more likely than psychiatrists to prescribe medications to treat kids with ADHD, according to the study published online Oct. 12 in the journal Pediatrics.
Children with ADHD usually…
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