Children as young as six years of age were admitted to psychiatric units last year, according to a report out yesterday.
The report from the Health Research Board noted that nine children - six boys and three girls - aged six to 11 years were admitted to such facilities in 2006.
Overall, 398 children and adolescents (aged 17 years or under) were admitted to psychiatric facilities last year, including general hospital psychiatric units, child and adolescent units, psychiatric hospitals and private hospitals.
The report, Activities of Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals 2006, noted that 23 of the children admitted were aged 12 to 13 years of age, that 33 children admitted were 14 years, 70 children admitted were 15 years, 98 children admitted were aged 16 years and 165 of the children admitted were 17 years.
The most common reason for these admissions was depressive disorders. However, other causes of admission included schizophrenia, behavioural and emotional disorders, alcoholic disorders, other drug disorders, development disorders and neuroses.
Twenty-two of the 398 children and adolescents admitted were admitted for treatment of eating disorders.
While 36 per cent of the entire group were admitted to child and adolescent units, most were admitted to adult facilities, which are regarded as inappropriate for dealing with this age group.
Thirty-nine per cent of the children and adolescents were admitted to general hospital psychiatric units, 17 per cent were admitted to psychiatric hospitals and 7 per cent were admitted to private hospitals.
Meanwhile, when adults are included, the report states that overall 20,288 patients were admitted to psychiatric units and hospitals last year, down 965 on the previous year. Readmissions accounted for 72 per cent of all admissions.
Depressive disorders accounted for 19 per cent of all admissions, schizophrenia for 20 per cent of admissions and alcoholic disorders was responsible for some 14 per cent of the admissions.
The admissions were almost evenly divided between men and women, while people who were divorced had the highest rate of all admissions.
The proportion of non-voluntary admissions remained unchanged from 2005 at 11 per cent of all admissions.