Pattern of childhood psychiatric disorders in Port Harcourt, Niger-Delta region of Nigeria (January 1999-December 2002)

Psychiatric disorders in children are uncommon but remain a great source of anxiety to parents. In view of the paucity of such studies in Eastern Nigeria, this study has become imperative. All children seen in the psychiatric out patient clinics, psychiatric wards and other departments were studied. Diagnosis was made with criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) IV of 1994. Out of a total number of 1,645 psychiatric cases seen, 411 were children representing 25%; of these 411 cases, 235 were females (57.2%) and 176 were males (42.8%). Depressive illness constituted 35%, anxiety disorders 30%, drug related disorders 17%, conduct disorders 9%, and others 9%. Gender differences were noted in all the conditions listed above except for enuresis, mental retardation, epileptiform psychosis and schizophrenia. Government Health Policy to protect the mental health of our children so as to guarantee their full mental development should be developed and implemented.