Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems will focus on global issues of chronic illness and the resultant mental health problems. Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are included because their causes are unknown, not because the are mental health disorders.

Behavior Patterns
Both normal and abnormal behavior of children and adolescents comprise a major amount of routine pediatric care. Behavior is influenced by genetic, neurologic and biologic factors and even more so by social and environmental factors.

Biological factors affecting behavior include:
- Genetic (hereditary traits for temperament, for personality, and for cognitive ability)
- Genetic disorders
- Congenital CNS infection
- CNS injury (asphyxia or bleeding)
- Psychomotor retardation
- Chronic illness

Social and environmental influences include:
- Parents and siblings
- Home environment and discipline at home
- School
- TV, Computers

Behavior problems:

Young Children
- Sleep disorders
- Temper tantrums

Older Children
- Sexual conduct
- Substance or alcohol abuse
- Cigarette smoking
- Weapons (guns or knives)