Page 83 - Resource-PartB_v3

Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health

Section 3: The importance of being diagnosed with a
mental health problem

This section will explore the following:

• Why it is important to seek support and a formal diagnosis
• Barriers children and young people may face seeking a diagnosis

• Reasons why children and young people may be reluctant to seek medical
intervention and a formal diagnosis.

Why it is important to seek support and a formal diagnosis

What is a formal diagnosis?

D Definition: Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the discovery and identification of diseases from the
examination of symptoms.

Source: Collins English dictionary

A diagnosis is a medical ‘label’ and helps mental health professionals to make
sense of the symptoms and decide what treatment and support is needed. Accurate
diagnosis can be difficult however, as children grow and develop at different rates,
and symptoms may vary from child to child.

For many people and for many mental health conditions, a visit to the GP is the first
port of call in terms of obtaining a formal diagnosis. This is an important step to
enable the right type of support and perhaps treatment to be provided so that
the child or young person has the best chance of recovery.

For children and young people, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
(CAHMS) provides the same service by talking to young people and their families
to find out about and understand their experiences, and then to discuss how best
to help them.

A diagnosis may be provided at this point, describing the condition identified,
although not everyone’s condition will fit neatly into the right categories to fit
one diagnosis or another.

81