Children as young as six going to A&E in mental health crisis

• Children as young as six are presenting to A&E with acute mental health crises, including self-harm and eating disorders, indicating a significant shift in the age profile of paediatric psychiatric emergencies
• Emergency departments are experiencing increased demand for acute mental health assessment and intervention in young people, raising questions about primary care capacity and early intervention services
• The trend suggests GPs may need to lower thresholds for mental health referral in younger age groups and consider enhanced liaison psychiatry services to manage A&E demand more effectively

NHS emergency departments are seeing more cases of self-harm, eating disorders and emotional distress in young people.

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