More Than Medicine: Caring for Children’s Minds, Hearts, and Health
by Amy Sczepanski, Client Services Coordinator
A study of 3 million children presented at the Pediatric Hospital Medicine 2025 Conference found that those with chronic health conditions are more likely to have mental health problems, with risk rising as their illness worsens.
Dr. Maria Newmaster’s team at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City studied children ages 5–17, grouping them by the severity of their health conditions and looking at mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and trauma.
What They Found:
- About 310,000 children had a mental health diagnosis.
- Rates rose with illness severity.
- The most common issues were trauma/stress disorders, anxiety, and depression.
- Children with heart, brain, or metabolic conditions had the highest risk.
- Black and Hispanic children were less often diagnosed, while foster kids, girls, and teens were more at risk -possibly due to real differences or access to care.
Dr. Margaret Thew said children with chronic illnesses often feel isolated or different, which can make anxiety or depression worse.
She stressed that these children should have regular mental health checkups and more specialists are needed to support both their medical and emotional health.
Keep your child’s mind healthy – talk to your pediatrician today.
Original Article: Splete, H. (2025, July 31). Complex medical conditions drive children’s mental health problems. Medscape Medical News.
