Mental Health Needs of Blind and Visually Impaired Youth and Their Families

Given that nearly 3% of children younger than age 18 years are blind or visually impaired, defined as having trouble seeing even when wearing corrective lenses, it is important for child psychiatrists and mental health professionals to be aware of the distinct mental health, developmental, and educational needs of this population. Few studies have examined the mental health effects of visual impairment (VI) on youth and their families. However, some studies have shown that children with VI have higher rates of diagnoses of mental illness than their sighted peers.

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - October 1, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Stephanie Vetere Sims, Stephanie Vetere Sims, Jana Kaye Dreyzehner, Dawn K. DeCarlo, Ted Lombardo Tags: Clinical Perspectives 67 Source Type: research