AI and Pediatric Mental Health: Can Technology Support the Next Generation?

 The psychological issues among children and adolescents are getting progressively worse.  Up to 20% of children and adolescents worldwide are struggling with mental illnesses, but most of them never get the help they need.  The disparity is exacerbated by stigma, a lack of child psychiatrists, and restricted access to care, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.

 With its ability to provide early detection, digital interventions, and individualized care, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a new tool to support children's mental health.  But can AI really help young people in a safe and efficient way?

AI's Present Use in Pediatric Mental Health

conversational AI for Children and Teens

 Wysa for Teens and other chatbots employ AI-driven dialogue to offer emotional support and coping skills training.  According to preliminary research, youngsters may feel less stigmatized when they open to chatbots than to adults.

Early Detection with AI

 Models based on AI can examine speech patterns, social media posts, and behavior data to identify early signs of depression, anxiety, or even self-harm in young individuals.  This promotes the possibility of earlier steps in clinics and schools.

Treatments Using AI and Extended Reality (XR)

 New research uses AI in conjunction with augmented reality or virtual reality, to provide collaborative therapy for disorders like ADHD or social anxiety.  These resources give kids a secure place to practice coping mechanisms.

Challenges and Advantages

 Accessibility: Reached children in poor or rural areas.

Engagement: Children may find gamified AI technologies appealing, and their regular use may be encouraged.

 Stigma Reduction: When dealing with an AI system, kids might feel less judged Artificial intelligence

driven personalized care: customizes to a patient's emotional state, habits regarding learning, and phase of development.

Barriers and Ethical Matters

 Precision: AI runs at risk of misunderstanding the complex emotions and actions of children.

 Security and confidentiality: It's especially important to protect sensitive information about children under 18.

 Dependency: The danger of relying too much on chatbots rather than seeking out actual human assistance.

 Equity: Not every child has access to smartphones, dependable internet, or safe digital use.

 The Path Ahead

 AI cannot take on the roles of parents, educators, mental health professionals, or child psychiatrists. It is possible to be included into a mixed care approach, in which medical professionals offer personalized therapy while AI tools provide ongoing support and early detection.  To protect children's safety and wellbeing in the future, pediatrics AI mental health solutions need to be developed ethically, according to ages, and subject to regulations.

In finalizing

 By creating assistance accessible, fascinating, and free of judgment, AI offers us hope for bridging the gap in kid mental health.  Children, however, are a particularly vulnerable demographic.  Making AI a trustworthy partner in preserving the mental health of the coming generation will require careful design and human control.

References :

1-      Tabassum A, Ghaznavi I, Abd-Alrazaq A, Qadir J Exploring the Application of AI and Extended Reality Technologies in Metaverse-Driven Mental Health Solutions: Scoping Review J Med Internet Res 2025;27:e72400 doi: 10.2196/72400 PMID: 40829151

2-      Sharma G, Yaffe MJ, Ghadiri P, Gandhi R, Pinkham L, Gore G, Abbasgholizadeh-Rahimi SUse of Artificial Intelligence in Adolescents’ Mental Health Care: Systematic Scoping Review of Current Applications and Future Directions JMIR Ment Health 2025;12:e70438 doi: 10.2196/70438

3-      Mansoor M, Hamide A, Tran T. Conversational AI in Pediatric Mental Health: A Narrative Review. Children. 2025; 12(3):359. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030359

4-      Baek G, Cha C, Han JH AI Chatbots for Psychological Health for Health Professionals: Scoping Review JMIR Hum Factors 2025;12:e67682 doi: 10.2196/67682

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board