Children Of Military Personnel Have A Higher Risk Of Behavioral Problems

Date: May-29-2013When parents are deployed for military service the whole event can be very distressing for young children. A clinical report published in the June 2013 issue of Pediatrics reveals that children who have family serving in the military are at a higher risk of experiencing emotional, social and behavioral problems.

Children who have preexisting psychological issues in the family are at a particularly high risk.

The report, titled "Health and Mental Health Needs of Children in U.S. Military Families", by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), suggests ways that health care providers can care for children whose parents are in active military service.

Fifty percent of children whose parents are in active duty military service receive care by general pediatricians throughout their parents' deployment.

Beth Ellen Davis, MD, MPH, FAAP, co-author of the policy statement, said:

"In the past 10 years, more than 2 million children in the U.S. have experienced the emotional and stressful event of being separated from a loved one deployed for active duty.

Most children cope and adapt quite well, but all children experience a heightened sense of fear and worry during a parent's deployment. It's important for pediatricians caring for these families to be aware of their family's situation so they can guide them appropriately."

The researchers found that among children whose parents are active service members:

One quarter experienced symptoms of depression
A third reported excessive worry
Half had serious trouble sleeping

The separation may last up to 18 months
Among preschool-age children, those whose parents were deployed experienced high levels of anxiousness and emotional reactivity compared to other kids.

Longer parental deployments were associated with a higher likelihood of emotional or behavioral problems in children between the ages of 5 to 17.

Military personnel with children can be on tours of duty that last up to a year and a half.

Family members who stay at home tend to be under increased stress, which can have a knock-on effect the mental health of their children.

Benjamin S. Siegel, MD, FAAP, co-author of the clinical report, said:

"By understanding the military family and the stressful experiences of parental wartime deployment, all pediatricians, both active duty and civilian, and other health care providers, can be the 'front line' in caring for U.S. military children and their families.

Pediatricians play a critical role in identifying how well or poorly a child or family responds to a major stressor such as an extended deployment, and can provide the necessary education and support, including referral to a mental health professional when needed."

A survey published in the American Journal of Public Health showed that teens whose parents are deployed for military service were more likely to have a lower low quality of life and experience thoughts of suicide.

The authors reported that 33 percent of teen boys with deployed parents reported binge drinking during the previous two weeks compared with 23 percent of their counterparts with civilian parents.

Written by Joseph Nordqvist

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