In 2021, a national emergency for children’s mental health was declared by several pediatric health organizations, and the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on mental health among youths.

A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study finds that teen girls had the largest increases in the number and proportion of pediatric emergency department visits for mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019.

According to the CDC, although there was variation by pandemic year, there were increases in multiple mental health conditions among this group. In particular, emergency department visits for eating disorders and tic disorders were much higher.

Health officials say, “Both eating and tic disorders can co-occur with anxiety, depression and OCD. Eating disorders can be triggered by pandemic-related risk factors, such as: lack of structure in daily routine, emotional distress, and changes in food availability; or exacerbated by reduced access to mental health care during the pandemic.”

For more information on this study, click here.