Medical Minute: Military Children

BOSTON (CBS) - There is an emotional toll on military personnel who are deployed overseas to engage in combat activities.

[Audio https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/i/cbslocal/wp-content/uploads/sites/3859903/2011/01/january-11-2010-medical-minute.mp3|titles=Military Children|artists=Dr. Murray Feingold]

However, not as well studied is the effect that wartime deployment of a parent has on his or her children.

A recent study looked into this issue.  The number of mental and behavioral visits to outpatient clinics were determined in children whose military parents remained at home and not deployed, compared to children whose military parents were deployed.

Results showed that when a military parent was deployed, visits to the outpatient clinics increased by 19% for behavioral disorders, and 18% for stress disorders.

The ages of the children studied were between 3 and 8 years and the increased outpatient visits was greater in the older children.

It is important that health care professionals are aware of this increase in mental health disorders in children whose parents are deployed overseas in order provide them the necessary treatment and support.