[Long-term course among child psychiatric patients. A registry-based study of psychiatric morbidity and mortality among 546 Danish children].

A total of 546 children and adolescents, aged 5 to 15 years, who were admitted as in-patients to psychiatric hospitals throughout Denmark between 1970 and 1973, were followed up regarding to later readmissions and mortality. Approximately one-third of the sample had at least one readmission after the age of 18 years: there was no significant difference between male and female subjects. Probands with three selected diagnoses, namely childhood neurosis, conduct disorder and maladjustment reactions, had a significantly greater general risk of readmission to psychiatric hospital in adulthood than the background population. In total, 24 probands (22 male, and 2 female subjects) died during the study period. Eight subjects had committed suicide. The standard mortality rate was significantly increased.