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Current Pediatric Research| Volume: 22
November 28-29, 2018 | Dubai, UAE
15th World Congress on
Pediatrics, Clinical Pediatrics and Nutrition
28th International Conference on
Nursing Practice
Joint Event
&
Child Mental Health does matter: A global perspective
Jace Pillay
University of Johannesburg, South Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that
10-20% of children worldwide are affected by mental
health conditions, disorders and diseases. Furthermore,
elaborate studies have noted that health-related problems in
children are often associated with mental health challenges.
For example, neuropsychiatric conditions have been
identified as a leading cause of disability in young people in
all countries. Well documented studies have emphasized the
point that if these mental health conditions are untreated,
they severely influence children’s development, their
educational attainments and their potential to live fulfilling
and productive lives. Unfortunately, most professionals and
practitioners seem to focus more on the physical health of
children often neglecting child mental health conditions.
This paper makes a strong argument for child mental health
to be taken seriously because it does matter in the holistic
treatment of children, especially in low and middle-income
countries. Special emphasis is placed on the prevalence, risk
and protective factors, and interventions to prevent and treat
childhood mental health problems based on a systematic
review of literature. A bio-social ecological model is presented
as a counter to the rigid application of a medical model that
highlights deficits rather than the assets in children. It is
argued that this holistic model would be useful in the optimal
development of children, especially those most vulnerable,
with the possibility of reducing the burden of mental
health challenges on governments as children grow older.
Speaker Biography
Jace Pillay completed his doctorate in 1996 at the Rand Afrikaans University in South
Africa. He is the South African Research Chair in Education and Care in Childhood
focusing on the mental health of orphans and vulnerable children. He has published
numerous papers in reputed journals and has presented his research at numerous
international conferences. He is a licensed educational and counselling psychologist.
e:
Jace Pillay, Pediatrics and Clinical Pediatrics 2018
& Nursing Practice 2018, Volume 22
DOI: 10.4066/0971-9032-C2-005