THE WORLDWIDE BURDEN OF INFANT MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DISORDER: REPORT OF THE TASK FORCE OF THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR INFANT MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

Children worldwide experience mental and emotional disorders. Mental disorders occurring among young children, especially infants (birth -3 years), often go unrecognized. Prevalence rates are difficult to determine because of lack of awareness and difficulty assessing and diagnosing young children. Existing data, however, suggest that rates of disorders in young children are comparable to those of older children and adolescents (von Klitzing, Dohnert, Kroll, & Grube, ). The lack of widespread recognition of disorders of infancy is particularly concerning due to the unique positioning of infancy as foundational in the developmental process. Both the brain and behavior are in vulnerable states of development across the first 3 years of life, with potential for enduring deviations to occur in response to early trauma and deprivation. Intervention approaches for young children require sensitivity to their developmental needs within their families. The primacy of infancy as a time of unique foundational risks for disorder, the impact of trauma and violence on young children's development, the impact of family disruption on children's attachment, and existing literature on prevalence rates of early disorders are discussed. Finally, global priorities for addressing these disorders of infancy are highlighted to support prevention and intervention actions that may alleviate suffering among our youngest world citizens.

Keywords: Frühintervention; Infant mental health; Krankheitslast; Prävalenz von Störungen bei Säuglingen; Psychische Gesundheit von Säuglingen und Kleinkindern; burden of disease; carga de la enfermedad; early intervention; fardeau de la maladie; infant mental disorders; intervención temprana; intervention; prevalence of infant disorder; prevalencia del trastorno infantil; prévalence des troubles chez la petite enfance; psychische Störungen von Säuglingen und Kleinkindern; salud mental infantil; santé mentale du nourrisson; trastornos mentales de los infantes; troubles mentaux de la petite enfance; الاضطرابات النفسية للرضع-; التدخل المبكر; الصحة النفسية للرضع-; انتشار اضطرابات الرضع-; عبء المرض-; 乳幼児の障害の有病率; 乳幼児精神保健; 乳幼児精神障害; 嬰兒心理健康; 嬰兒精神障礙; 嬰幼兒疾病盛行率; 早期介入; 早期干預; 疾病の負担burden; 疾病負擔.