Changes in Child Psychiatry Presentations in the Second Wave of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Compared to the Pre-pandemic Period and the First Wave: A Follow-up Study

Abstract

Background: It is to examine how child psychiatry admissions, diagnosis and treatment trends in the second wave (September–December 2020/SD20) of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic change compared to the pre-pandemic (SD19) and the first wave (March–June 2020/MJ20). Methods: Our study was planned as a multicenter, retrospective cross-sectional. Data were obtained from hospital computer systems databases. All patients admitted to the child psychiatry clinic on SD19 and SD20 constituted the study sample. In total, 5244 admissions were assessed. Results: Of the admissions, 1459 were repeat exams, and 3785 were cases. 50.9% (n=1927) of the cases came in SD19 and 49.1% (n=1858) in SD20. In 2019, 37% (n=825) of cases were girls, compared to 41.6% (n=646) in 2020 (P=.004). The mean age of those who came in 2019 was 9.61 ± 4.08; The mean age of those who came in 2020 was 10.15 ± 5.38 (P=.002). In 2020, oppositional defiant conduct disorder, major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleep-wake disorder, and dysthymia were significantly higher, while specific learning disorders, separation anxiety disorder, and intellectual disability were found to be lower. Conclusion: The decrease in second-wave admissions is less than in the first wave. In the second wave, externalizing and internalizing problems have increased. Drug therapy was prioritized. Postponing admissions was less in the second wave.