According to the Hospital Authority, the number of psychiatric patients in child and adolescents in Hong Kong increased from 18,900 in 2011-2012 to 28,800 in 2015-2016, an increase of 52%. The median waiting time in public hospitals for psychiatric patients in child and adolescents was also increased from 34 weeks in 2013-2014 to 58 weeks in 2015-2016. As a result of the increasing number of patients, the longest waiting time for public hospitals is increasing for up to 3 years. Patients may have the chance to pass the prime for the treatment. Delayed treatment will not only aggravate symptoms, but also increase the chance of comorbidities.
To understand the situation of child and adolescents with psychiatric illness in Hong Kong, Variety Children’s charity of Hong Kong established by a group of psychiatrists to analyze the situation of 52 children participating in the program. The cases of ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and conditional disorders are the most. Up to 35% of the cases at the same time diagnosed a variety of psychiatric diseases, known as "comorbidities", such as reading and writing disorders, developmental disorders or depression. The scheme commenced in August last year, with non-profit-making groups or social workers providing suspected medical treatment for the patients who are waiting and having financial difficulties in the family until the patient receives public medical services. The program will also work with the Caritas Youth and Community Services in Hong Kong to provide support to parents to relieve the pressure of caregivers.
Co-Chairman and psychiatrist Dr. Lam Mei Ling said that in addition to assessing the patient's condition, the study also understood the mental health of the family and found that the longer the waiting time, the greater the pressure on the parents so that the whole family was negatively affected and the more serious the situation of comorbidities, reflecting the worse the overall condition of patients.
Lau is a seven-year-old boy and is currently in secondary school. He was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD last year, but his outpatient treatment in public hospitals will be scheduled in October 2018. Lau’s mother said that her son's academic success, reading ability is still possible, but the writing ability is very poor, and the concentration is poor, cannot sit properly, more than a week to receive teacher’s complaints phone. Her son situation makes her to change from full time job to part-time. After participate in the butterfly plan, they obtain the private doctor for treatment and the cost of funding drugs, her son’s situation has improved.
Source:《am730》