Data on Prevalence of Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Conditions in Children under 18 and Treatment Provided in Last Five Years

12 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health in each of the last five years (a) what percentage of children under the age of 18 were diagnosed with (i) mental health and (ii) neurodevelopmental conditions; and (b) what percentage of children throughout the population were prescribed medication for these conditions.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: From 2021 to 2025, the unique numbers of school-going children up to 18 years old with a diagnosis of a mental health disorder or a neurodevelopmental condition in public hospitals are shown in Table 1 below. The data comprises newly diagnosed and existing cases seen each year at the public hospitals. The incidence rate is not available as the Ministry of Health does not track the data of children diagnosed and managed in the private healthcare sector.

About half of the diagnosed cases in the public hospitals receive medications for their conditions.