The number of children with mental health problems attending hospital emergency departments rose by 58 per cent in the second half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
Experts say the isolation caused by lockdown restrictions and the closure of schools and universities are among the factors.
New figures show 514 children and teenagers presented to the emergency departments at Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght hospitals with mental health problems between July and December 2019.
That rose to 810 in the second half of 2020 - a 58 per cent increase.
Complex
Fiona McNicholas, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Crumlin, says the cases they're seeing are more complex: "From September onwards, we saw a continuous increase in referrals over the next three month period - peaking in November, when referrals were up 180%.
"At the same time, outpatient activity increased by 36% and the clinical acuity of the cases was also considered to be greater.
"By that I mean: more children were being referred with self-harm and eating disorders, more children were not being discharged to their GPs during that time and there was a higher number that were being referred on to other specialist mental health services."
Anxiety
Hattie Billingham from Save our Sons and Daughters says they've seen an increase of more than 50 per cent in children coming forward with anxiety - and that not seeing friends is a big factor: "At the start it would have been anxiety related to the uncertainty of the world that we were going into.
"As the pandemic progressed isolation, especially in young people, became a big thing.
"When you are in your teenage years or your early 20s, you're in that college going or Leaving Cert stage of your life.
"They become the biggest bases of your support network, they are your shoulder to cry on, they're where you learn everything you need for your adult life.
"And the generation now just lost that, they lost that connection, they lost that support network basically overnight."
Information about available supports can be found on the HSE website “Your Mental Health” or by calling 1800 111 888.
Reporting by Stephen Murphy
