Traumatized refugee children: the case for individualized diagnosis and treatment.
The first 131 traumatized refugee children evaluated and treated in a child specialty clinic indicated a wide variety of trauma including war-related traumas (21%) for areas of recent conflict and domestic violence (28%) predominantly occurring in patients from Mexico and Latin America. Clinical diagnoses indicate PTSD was common (63%) in the war trauma group but was found less (25%) in the domestic violence group. Otherwise, the refugee clinic population showed a wide variety of diagnoses, including 20% having learning or cognitive disability or clear mental retardation. The traumatized refugee children had a similar prevalence of PTSD and depression to a comparable group of American child psychiatry patients. Refugee children have faced a variety of traumas and have a variety of diagnoses. All traumatized refugee children need an individualized evaluation and treatment plan. Trauma focused therapy is not appropriate for all refugee children.
Kinzie
J David
JD
Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Cheng
Keith
K
Tsai
Jenny
J
Riley
Crystal
C
D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014857:Warfare