Many children with chronic physical conditions have mental disorders

Canadian researchers found that the rate of children with recently diagnosed chronic physical conditions, such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, food allergy or juvenile arthritis, who had parent-reported mental disorders dropped from 58% at baseline to 42% at six months' follow-up, with anxiety disorders being the most prevalent mental disorder. The findings in BMJ Open also associated baseline physical-mental comorbidity with lower physical and psychological well-being and school environment scores over six months, but not parental psychosocial outcomes. Physician's Briefing/HealthDay News (1/9),  Psych Central