JEDDAH: Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health has revealed that it treated 1,869 children for various psychological problems last year, according to a report in a local publication recently.
The hospital stated that 1,309 children were receiving outpatient treatment, and that there were on average eight new cases a week, including for hyperkinetic disorder, autism, learning difficulties, reduced mental abilities, anxiety, obsessions, phobias, depression and psychosis.
Dalia Mokhtar, a psychiatrist, said that the health workers at the hospital include a woman psychiatrist, psycho-social expert, physician and nurses. Her role is to interview, examine and diagnose patients.
Wafiyah Al-Hayef, a social worker at the hospital, said she interviews the family of the child and works with other members of the team to decide on the correct treatment program, taking into account the patient’s environment at home and elsewhere.
Arab News
