The Need for Psychiatric Assessment in Children with Down Syndrome and Factors Affecting Their Use of Mental Health Services: A Cross-Sectional Study from Turkey

Abstract

Objective. Down syndrome (DS) is the most common cause of intellectual disability. Children with DS may have difficulty accessing psychiatric services because their mental health problems are often unrecognized. This study aimed to assess the mental health needs of children with Down syndrome and the elements that may affect their access and referral to psychiatric services. Methods. In this single-center cross-sectional study, we evaluated 72 children with Down syndrome and assessed the factors affecting their use of mental health services by using a questionnaire completed by parents. We compared the clinical symptom profiles of young preschool-aged children with Down syndrome (n = 26) with typical (n = 26), developmental delay (n = 15), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) group (n = 28) to evaluate mental health problems. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children: Present and Lifetime Version DSM-5 (K-SADS-PL) was administered. Parents completed the child behavior check list for ages 6–18 and 1½-5, depending on the child’s age. Results. Although most patients with Down syndrome (51.4%) had psychiatric symptoms reported by parents at the initial assessment, the most frequent reason (62.5%) for applying to our psychiatric clinic was to submit an application for a medical report. The majority of patients with Down syndrome (56%) had a psychiatric disorder, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder was the most common diagnosis. Conclusion. Clinicians should not overlook the need for psychiatric assessment, early diagnosis, and collaboration between pediatricians and child psychiatrists, which are crucial during medical evaluation and follow-up of children with Down syndrome.