Panel urges earlier detection for youth mental health; pediatrician cites age‑specific onset and treatment cautions

Tony Delich, a retired pediatrician who treated children and adolescents, told the Homer Glen behavioral‑health panel that many mental‑health and neurodevelopmental conditions begin early and often go undiagnosed. He urged routine developmental screening and family advocacy to secure appropriate school services and therapy.

“Only about 20 percent of children receive adequate care,” Delich said, and he added that conditions such as attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder often persist into adulthood if not addressed. He provided approximate age ranges for common onsets: developmental signs in early childhood, ADHD commonly identified between ages 3 and 7, anxiety and obsessive‑compulsive symptoms in middle childhood, and mood disorders surfacing in the teenage years.