More Children Being Hospitalized for Mental Health Illnesses; Dr. Margaret Cochran on Today’s Morning Zone

More children than ever are being hospitalized for mental illnesses in the US. American kids are becoming more likely to be admitted to the hospital for mental problems, according to a new study. The rate of psychiatric hospital discharges rose by more than 80 percent for 5-13-year-olds and by 42 percent for older teens.

Kids admitted to short-term hospitals for mental illness rose from 156 to 283 per 100,000 children per year over the ten-year study period. The study showed that bipolar disorder increased for children and teens. Doctors say this is due to aggressive behavior towards family and friends and overreaction to minor issues. The alarming trend is causing researchers to study why there is such a steep increase in children and teens needing inpatient mental health services.

Today on The Morning Zone, we'll take this up with Dr. Margaret Cochran at 8:07AM MDT. Dr. Cochran is a transpersonal psychologist and licensed clinical social worker with more than 29 years of clinical experience working with individuals, children and families.