July 22, 2005

MGH spearheads web resource for mental health disorders in children

In the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the diagnosis of mental health disorders in children. The reasons are many — pediatricians are identifying childhood disorders earlier, parents with access to the Internet and a wealth of information that didn't exist a generation ago — are cuing into symptoms sooner and studies indicate the rate of incidence is increasing, be it for genetic, environmental or lifestyle-related reasons. Mental health conditions in children and adolescents can be disruptive and troubling to these children and their families as well as the schools they attend. Unfortunately, a mental health disorder often pits families and schools against each other, even as both are struggling to find ways to support these children.

This spring, a group of MGH clinicians joined forces with educators and parents to launch www.schoolpsychiatry.org, a new website targeted to educators, clinicians and parents of children with mental health diagnoses. The project is a joint effort of two programs in the MGH Department of Psychiatry — the School Psychiatry program, led by Jeff Bostic, MD, EdD, and the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Institute (MADI) Resource Center. The site provides information, tools and resources about the full range of childhood mental health conditions with the goal of bringing educators, parents and clinicians together through a common, reliable source.

Karen Blumenfeld, director of the MADI Resource Center and one of the co-managers of the website, says one of the great strengths of the site is that it has been developed and approved by a team of psychiatrists, educators and parents. "Because of the Internet, there is a tremendous amount of information out there, but it's often conflicting or confusing. It's hard to know what to trust," she says. The MGH team spent nine months building the site; reviewing the huge quantities of information that exist; hand-picking the tools and resources they felt were most accessible and accurate; and adding comprehensive narrative descriptions of the full range of illnesses.

Mental health conditions addressed on the site include anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nonverbal learning disabilities, Asperger's disorder and autism spectrum disorders. Visitors to the site will find checklists for preliminary mental health screenings, screening tools and rating scales, educational evaluations and school-based accommodations and interventions.

Bostic, who co-manages the site and serves as its medical expert, hopes it will become a resource for families, educators and clinicians to partner effectively. "Childhood mental illness and developmental disorders put a tremendous strain on those who are affected — the individuals, their families, and every person trying to help them through the educational and social system," he says. "Early identification and the right modifications are critical to easing the burdens on everyone."

For more information, visit www.schoolpsychiatry.org.