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Some recent studies have suggested that 30-40% (Einfield and Tonge 1996) or 50 % (Decker, et al, 2002) or more of children with developmental disabilities have associated mental health problems (Dykens, 2000).
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When specific disabilities are considered separately, however, the rate is often even higher. For example, among children with intellectual disabilities, 94% of those with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects are estimated to have associated emotional and behavioral disorders (Streissguth, A, 1997).
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Children with Fragile X syndrome have a very high rate of behavior problems such as ADHD or ADD (estimated 80-90% of males).
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Studies suggest that about 15% of children with Down syndrome and 20 to 38% of youth have behavioral or psychiatric disorders. Anxiety disorders have been reported in 96 percent of children with Williams syndrome. From 70 to 95 % of those with Prader-Willi syndrome have behavioral difficulties (Dykens, 2003).
Policy Issues
- Jacobstein, D. and Cattan, L. Mending cracks in service delivery for children: Interagency strategies that really work, NADD Bulletin (2004)Vol. 7, No. 2
http://www.thenadd.org/cgi-bin/checkmember.pl?page=content/bulletins/v7n2a1
- Jacobstein, D & McNelis, T. Children's services in the real world,
NADD Bulletin (2003) Vol. 6 (6)
http://www.thenadd.org/content/policy/v6n6.shtml
Prevalence Data: Sample of Review Articles
- Dykens, E.M. (2003) Anxiety, fears, and phobias in persons with Williams syndrome, Developmental Neuropsychology, 23(1-2), 291-316.
- Dykens, E.M., Shah, M., Sagun, J. Beck, T., King, B.H. (2002) Maladaptive behavior in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46(Pt.6), 484-92.
- Dykens, E. (2000) Psychopathology in Children with intellectual Disability, J. Child Psychology and Psychitry (2000) 41 (4), 407-417.
