More Singaporean children seeing psychiatrists due to stress

MORE parents in Singapore are bringing their children to psychiatrists due to stress at school or at home, the Straits Times daily reported Monday.

Five years ago, only one or two children out of five brought to psychiatrists were referred by a parent but the number has now increased to two or three, the report said, quoting a senior doctor.

Cai Yiming, a consultant psychiatrist at the Singapore Institute of Health, said there were 2358 new cases registered at government psychiatric clinics involving those below 18-years-old.

But the higher number of cases did not mean more children were suffering from mental illnesses, he added.

In almost 95 percent of all cases referred, the children were simply stressed out.

"Many of the parents are educated ... they do not think of it as a stigma to ask for help from the psychiatrist," Cai said.

Children are also referred to psychiatrists by schools, polyclinics and courts.

Singapore schools are regarded as highly competitive and local newspaper reports suggest children face pressure to excel in their studies.

Cai said children often became depressed, withdrawn, lose interest, lie, steal, become quarrelsome or suffer headaches when they could not cope with the stresses at school or from family and peers.