Abstract

• In view of the absence of any systematic study of the psychiatric disorders among the children (16 years and younger) in this country, the author reviewed 325 child psychiatric patients seen at the department of neuropsychiatry, Ewha Womans University Hospital during 10 years(from 1968~1977). In this paper the study group of 325 child psychiatric patients were studied with special emphasis on diagnostic distribution, age sex distribution, family back ground, sibiling order and course and purpose of visiting hospital. The results are as follows: 1) 325(8.7%) new child patients visited to neuropsychiatric department among the total 3,736 new patients from 1968 to 1977. 2) The number of the new child patients had increased year after year. 3) Most frequent diagnosis was neurosis followed by epilepsy, schizophrenia and special symptoms in that order. 4) 163 cases (50.1%) were male and 162 cases were female. Most prevalent age distribution was 12~16 year group(53.8%) 5) 16 patients (4.9%) had the history of paternal loss. 6) In sibling order, most prevalent was middle sibilings(18.6%). followed by last(17%), and first(16.6%). 7) Most patients were referes via O.P.D. 8) Purposes of visiting hospital were symptom treatment(55.1%), and psychiatric evaluation(44.9%).