More than one million children were referred to mental health services across England last year, with one in ten now facing a diagnosis, a report has revealed. 

The latest data from 2024-25 shows the number of children and young people referred to services has almost doubled since 2018-19. 

Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner who led the report, said the country faced a ‘crisis’ in young people’s mental health. 

She added: ‘There is no disguising the fact the figures in this report are stark.’ 

With referrals rising by 10 per cent in the last year alone, the system is struggling to respond – leaving over a third of children waiting years for treatment. 

Active referrals include children who have been referred for, are waiting on or have received treatment in that time period. The figures do not include children already being treated.

Anxiety remains the most common reason for young people seeking help, accounting for 16 per cent of all referrals, whilst cases of suspected autism rose by almost 50 per cent in a single year. 

Other neurodevelopmental conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also increased by nearly a quarter – with these children typically facing the longest waits. 

‘These are not just numbers, but children whose lives have been put on hold for months and, in some cases, years waiting for support they urgently need,’ said Dame Rachel. 

‘While there have been some encouraging signs, with more children receiving support last year, it is hard to ignore the colossal challenge facing mental health services, as demand outpaces system capacity and funding.’ 

The data – obtained from NHS England – suggests the number of children waiting for an autism diagnosis has seen the biggest increase, with 96,393 children and young people receiving a referral in the one-year period. 

Neurodevelopmental conditions excluding autism made up 13 per cent of cases, with children under the age of ten more likely to be referred.

Fewer than one in five went on to receive treatment in 2024-25, however. 

The authors stressed that rising numbers of diagnoses do not necessarily imply a rise in prevalence of these conditions.

Instead, they wrote, increased awareness of neurodevelopmental disorders could simply mean more parents and young people are coming forward. 

The report’s authors also claimed that ‘rising distress’ among young people was a key driver of demand, with the ‘medicalisation’ of stress leading to more diagnoses. 

Almost two-thirds of British teenagers could be diagnosed with a mental health condition by 2030 figures suggest 

Previous research by the Royal College of Nursing highlighted that young people in the midst of a mental health crisis often face spending three days in A&E before being given a bed in a specialist unit. 

In response, Minesh Patel – the associate director for evidence, advocacy and performance at mental health charity, Mind – told the Guardian: ‘The scale of demand and the unmet need set out in this report is deeply concerning. 

‘With many waiting months or years for support, the system is clearly struggling to respond to the mental health challenges that young people are experiencing.’

He added: ‘The longer young people go without good quality mental health support, the more unwell they can become, increasing the likelihood of needing to access support from crisis and A&E services.’

Experts say they worry that any deterioration in a child or young person’s mental health could have a serious impact on their future. 

‘The way we look to support young people’s mental health must change – we cannot address mental health alone in isolation; improving children’s wellbeing requires action across government,’ said Dame Rachel. 

‘At the same time, there must be a shift in how we approach children’s mental health with greater focus on joined up services across health, education and social care to ensure children are getting the help they need in schools and the community. 

‘Only then will we stop asking ‘What is wrong?’, but rather ‘How can we help?”.

A government spokesman told the Daily Mail its record investment of £16.1billion in NHS mental health services this year should help alleviate the burden and ensure more children get the support they need. 

‘We are developing a cross-government Mental Health Strategy for England that will transform mental health care into a system that responds earlier, reduces waiting times for support, intervenes earlier and helps people to stay active and participate in education, work, family and community life,’ they said. 

‘On top of this, our once-in-a-generation SEND reforms will bring specialist support directly into schools, to train every teacher to better support SEND, and give mainstream settings the expertise and resources they need to meet children’s needs earlier and more effectively.’

We pack suncream, plug adaptors and painkillers for a holiday abroad. Yet the one thing we never prepare for our trip is the one thing most likely to ruin it – our gut.

Nothing derails a relaxing break faster than a stomach upset.

Your risk of picking up travellers’ tummy – normally transmitted via food and drink contaminated with bugs – varies according to where you go: around 40 per cent of visitors to Asia, Africa or Latin America, develop diarrhoea.

Even those going to less exotic locations may experience it.

But taking action, ideally a week or two before you go, can help prevent you being one of those statistics. The key is to boost the variety of microbes living in your gut (the gut microbiome). The more varied that community is, the better it is at keeping invading bugs out.

This is because a diverse microbiome collectively uses up the nutrients that pathogens such as salmonella need to get a foothold – it’s a bit like starving them out. No single microbe can do this alone, it takes the whole community working together. The good news is that your gut responds fast – a 2014 study published in Nature found that changing your diet can lead to a noticeable shift in the mix of gut microbes in just three to four days.

The key to avoiding travellers’ tummy is to boost the variety of microbes living in your gut as the more varied that community is, the better it is at keeping invading bugs out

To encourage more of the ‘good’ microbes to grow, focus on fibre – fill half your plate with veg at meal times and have a handful of nuts and seeds a day. Include fermented foods such as kefir or kimchi. You can also try taking a probiotic (friendly bacteria) starting a few days before your trip and continuing throughout. This one step may cut your risk of getting traveller’s diarrhoea by around 15 per cent, according to a review published in Epidemiology and Health in 2018, with a yeast probiotic called Saccharomyces Boulardii having some of the more consistent results.

Around 17 per cent of people who pick up a stomach bug abroad can go on to develop irritable bowel syndrome, reported the journal JAMA in 2015. That’s because the infection can damage the gut lining and disrupt the community of microbes – and for some people these changes can persist, leaving low-level inflammation in the gut and heightened sensitivity.

Prevention is better than cure, so remember the basics: wash your hands before eating and where you can stick to cooked food or fruit you have peeled yourself. Be more cautious with raw salads, ice and fresh juices as the fruit may have been washed in local tap water (it’s usually the water not the food that’s the problem). In a sit-down restaurant with good hygiene, a fresh salad is generally low risk as the kitchen staff are more likely to use filtered or treated water to wash it in. Save the extra caution for buffets and street stalls where food may have been sitting out in the heat for hours and bacteria can multiply quickly. If in doubt it’s also worth packing oral rehydration sachets just in case you get a nasty bout of diarrhoea that lasts more than a few days. These replace the electrolytes (salts that help keep your muscles, nerves and fluid balance working) that you lose. Get pharmacy sachets which have the right balance of salts rather than standard electrolyte drinks which are often little more than flavoured sugar water.

If you’re stuck, make your own by dissolving six level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in a litre of clean or bottled water, and either blend in a banana, or eat one alongside it for potassium. It won’t taste great, but it will do the job until you can get to a pharmacy.

Most tummy bugs clear up on their own within a few days. But see a pharmacist or GP if you have a fever, blood in your stool, or symptoms last more than a week.

Be aware that in the early days after you recover you may find certain foods harder to handle. Dairy is a common one, as a gut infection can temporarily damage the lining of the small intestine, reducing its ability to digest lactose, the sugar in milk, though it usually resolves within a few weeks at most. Rich or fatty food can also be harder going.

While we tend to fear stomach bugs on our travels, many people have the opposite problem.

Dr Emily Leeming says that changing your diet can lead to a noticeable shift in the mix of gut microbes in just three to four days

Dr Emily suggests to be extra cautious when it comes to buffets, street stalls and anything that’s been sitting out in the heat

Not only do they become constipated, they feel bloated and sluggish from pretty much the moment they step off the plane until they get home.

That’s partly due to the drop in cabin pressure that occurs when you’re in the air which causes the gas in your gut to expand, leaving you feeling full and bloated although this normally eases soon after you land.

But it’s also because your gut works in close alignment with your body clock – it produces stomach acid and digestive enzymes in rhythm with your usual meal times. So when you eat outside of these times your gut isn’t fully ready to digest what hits it.

One way to minimise this is to switch your watch to the time of the destination as soon as you start travelling and only eat at their mealtimes. This will help your gut align with the new time zone a little faster.

Other factors in travel constipation include the fact that often, even if you’re eating well, fibre intake can quietly drop on holiday. Grilled fish and a simple salad by the seafront sounds like a healthy meal (and in many ways it is), but it doesn’t deliver much fibre which helps keep food moving through your gut.

Eating two kiwi fruits a day can be an easy fix, according to a 2023 study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. They’re high in fibre and contain an enzyme called actinidin that helps move things through.

A simpler option might be to travel with psyllium powder. Made from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant, it works in a similar way to kiwi. Most pharmacies stock it and it is available without a prescription (though check with your doctor if you have a gut condition, as it may not be right for you).

Stir a teaspoon into a full glass of water and drink it once a day after a meal, building up to twice a day if needs be. But make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, as psyllium needs fluid to work.

In fact, if you regularly struggle with constipation on holiday, you might want to try taking it about a week before you go, rather than waiting until things slow down.

Best wishes for a gut-happy holiday!

As scorching heat hits the US, roughly 46 million Americans taking certain types of psychiatric medications face a hidden danger.

Summer can be treacherous for Americans taking antidepressants and antipsychotics such as Zoloft, Lexapro and Geodon for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. They are significantly more vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The medications, while increasing serotonin or blocking dopamine receptors, respectively, can cause overheating by confusing the brain’s hypothalamus, sometimes referred to as the internal thermostat.

The hypothalamus relies on serotonin and dopamine to sense and regulate body temperature. Drugs that alter these neurotransmitters cause the body to misread temperature signals and fail to trigger sweating when it overheats, which reduces its ability to cool itself properly. 

Temperatures in the coming days are expected to exceed 90 degrees, with highs near 100 in large swathes of the country, including 101 degrees in New York City, 99 in Dallas, Texas, 99 in Raleigh, North Carolina, 93 in Chicago, Illinois, and 95 in Atlanta, Georgia.

And the ‘real-feel’ temperatures are forecast to climb to nearly 110 degrees. 

During a heatwave, people on these medications may not sweat and can overheat, with body temperatures potentially reaching 106 degrees Fahrenheit, or they can become excessively sweaty, leading to dehydration.

Early warning signs of heat exhaustion while on SSRIs include excessive sweating or no sweating, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, headache, muscle cramps, and a rapid heartbeat.

Heat exhaustion differs from heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. In addition to showing signs of heat exhaustion, heat stroke can cause seizures or loss of consciousness.

During a heatwave, people on these medications may not sweat and can overheat, with body temperatures potentially reaching 106 degrees Fahrenheit, or they can become excessively sweaty, leading to dehydration (stock)

Heat stroke kills when the body’s internal temperature rises so high that it becomes toxic to cells and organs, essentially cooking them from the inside out. It is a medical emergency that can be deadly if not treated quickly.

For someone already taking an SSRI, certain everyday choices and personal factors can dramatically increase the risk of heat-related illness.

Exercising outdoors is a major trigger. 

The body is already fighting to cool itself when someone works outside in the heat. Adding an SSRI further compromises the brain’s temperature regulator.

Even young, fit people can quickly find themselves in trouble if they overdo it on a hot day.

Alcohol and caffeine make matters worse. Alcohol also dulls one’s judgment, making them less likely to notice the warning signs.

Both are diuretics, which means they flush fluids from the body and speed up dehydration.

When someone is already struggling to regulate their temperature, these drinks cause a shift from discomfort to medical emergency.

A forecast map for July 2. Temperatures are set to soar past 90 degrees this week, with many parts of the country nearing 100

Other medications can compound the risk. Blood pressure drugs and diuretics affect fluid balance.

Antihistamines for allergies can reduce sweating, the body’s natural cooling system, while stimulants for ADHD can raise the core temperature and heart rate.

Taking any of these alongside an SSRI multiplies the danger.

Age is another crucial factor. Older adults are more vulnerable because their temperature regulation declines with age and their thirst reflex weakens. Many are also on multiple medications.

Young children are equally at risk because their bodies struggle to adapt to extreme heat and they depend on others to spot the signs.

High doses of SSRIs generally mean higher risk. More serotonin activity means a stronger effect on the brain’s thermostat.

Patients on maximum doses should be especially cautious during heatwaves and speak with their doctor about whether any adjustments are needed.

Hydration is key. Small sips throughout the day are better than large amounts at once. When sweating heavily, electrolyte drinks are more effective than plain water at replacing lost salts.

The medications work by increasing serotonin or blocking dopamine, but this also confuses the hypothalamus, the brain’s internal thermostat (stock)

Taking SSRIs in the evening means peak effects on temperature regulation occur while resting, while taking them with food may ease some side effects.

Cooling tactics are essential. Cold compresses on the neck, wrists, and temples can help lower core temperature. Fans work best when combined with a water mist, while cool showers are also effective.

Outdoor activity should be avoided between 10 am and 4 pm, when the sun is strongest.

When going outside, wear loose-fitting, light-colored garments made from breathable fabrics like cotton or linen that allow sweat to evaporate. Wide-brimmed hats can also provide additional protection from direct sun.

Gradually increasing time spent outdoors over several days allows the body to adapt, though this does not entirely eliminate the risk for those on SSRIs or antipsychotics.

Experts stress that no one should stop or skip SSRI doses without medical supervision.

Withdrawal symptoms can include dizziness, nausea and mood swings. More seriously, sudden cessation can trigger a relapse of depression or anxiety, or lead to suicidal thoughts.

Never adjust dosage to manage heat, they say. Any change must be discussed with a prescribing physician, who can weigh the risks and benefits.

Do not ignore the warning signs. Dizziness, nausea, headache and changes in sweating should not be brushed aside.

Pushing through these symptoms can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If symptoms appear, the person should move to a cool place, drink water and seek medical help if they do not improve quickly.

By DR MARTIN SCURR

Published: 17:09 BST, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 17:09 BST, 29 June 2026

[noscript_1]

Is there anything I can do to stop my eyes constantly watering? I blamed the cold weather, but it’s summer now and nothing has improved.

Chris Peat, Accrington.

Dr Martin Scurr replies: Watery eyes, known as epiphora, can be triggered by a range of causes. One of the most common is dry eyes, a condition which, paradoxically, means you produce more tears than normal.

Dry eyes are the result of a problem with the meibomian glands, the tiny oil glands located along the lash line of the eyelid; these produce an oil, called meibum, which lubricates the eye surface and stabilises the film of tears that coats the eyeball.

If the glands are blocked, the tears become more watery, causing teary red eyes.

The symptoms can be eased by regular use of lubricating drops, but long term the better remedy is to improve the function of the meibomian glands with meticulous eyelid hygiene and massage (to unblock them).

Wipe the eyelids twice daily with a cotton wool bud dipped in diluted baby shampoo. With your eyes closed massage the lids with a warm compress (such as a flannel or cotton wool soaked in water).

Watery eyes can also be caused by impairment or blockage of the nasolacrimal ducts, the tiny channels on either side of the nose that allow the tear film to drain into the nasal sinuses.

Dry eyes are the result of a problem with the meibomian glands, the tiny oil glands located along the lash line of the eyelid

Or it could be ectropion, a condition that’s usually age-related, where the lower lid droops outward. As a result the tear film overflows rather than draining into the nasolacrimal ducts.

Treatment for blocked nasolacrimal ducts would involve syringing to clear any blockage. This means seeing a specialist who can also assess the eyelid function for signs of ectropion.

My advice would be to ask your GP or optician for a referral to an NHS ophthalmologist for further investigations.

My recent NHS health check said I had a 20 per cent chance of a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years (I’m 71) and my GP has suggested taking a statin. But I’m concerned about possible side-effects.

A. Collins, Tamworth, Staffs.

Statins are very effective at lowering the overall risk by controlling cholesterol but many patients have side-effects such as muscle stiffness

Dr Martin Scurr replies: GPs use an online tool to assess the risk of heart disease or a stroke, based on factors such as lifestyle (e.g. smoking) and medical history (such as diabetes).

The main risk factors, which none of us can control, are age and family history. But others can be controlled very effectively to lower that risk – these include weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

Statins are very effective at lowering the overall risk by controlling cholesterol. But every week, I see patients with similar concerns as yours about the drugs causing side-effects such as muscle stiffness.

We hear a lot about these kinds of adverse reactions, particularly on social media, but most people who take a statin do so without experiencing any significant problems. In fact, in trials a proportion of symptoms said to be statin-related occurred in patients taking a placebo.

This may simply be because statins are mostly prescribed to middle-aged and older patients who are more likely to get pains and stiffness due to age. It is all too easy to wrongly blame these symptoms on the drug.

My advice is to take the statin, and if there are adverse effects you can always stop and these will abate, after which you might be treated with a different statin, or perhaps a different drug altogether, such as ezetimibe – which also lowers cholesterol and any side-effects are often mild and temporary.

Former NFL player Chris Johnson revealed the first symptom he experienced of ALS after announcing his shock diagnosis on Monday. 

The former Tennessee Titans, New York Jets running back and 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year had teased a big interview with fellow football icon Michael Strahan on Good Morning America, but fans were left stunned when the reason for the broadcast was revealed.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – is a progressive neurological disease that slowly destroys motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord over time.

Johnson – who was one of the fastest running backs in NFL history – was only diagnosed last year at the age of 39, but has already lost the ability to speak, using his eyes to trigger a voice machine as he sat alongside his wife for the ABC interview.

He said he noticed something was off about his health when he felt his right hand become weak. He said the first subtle signs were ‘little things, like my grip didn’t feel right, and I wasn’t as strong as I’ve always been.’

Johnson, now 40, and his wife said they expected the issue to be related to his long football career, with his wife Brittany adding: ‘I thought because of football and, you know, his career, that it had to be something with that.

‘Maybe … a pinched nerve or something along those lines, but never ALS.’

NFL icon Chris Johnson can no longer speak, a year on from being diagnosed with ALS

Brittany, Johnson’s wife, said during the interview that the family’s previous life was a ‘thing of the past’

The ex-NFL star was in what he describes as the ‘prime of his life’ when he received the diagnosis and had been working out every day and spending time with his wife and four children. 

‘We hoped it was something else, but after thorough testing, they finally came down with a diagnosis of ALS,’ Johnson explained. 

‘They told us about a medication that might extend life by a few months, then they told us to get our affairs in order.’

Brittany went on to reveal that she was initially ‘in denial’ about the diagnosis, and that her thoughts immediately went to their four children. 

‘You want it to be anything else, you want the doctors to be wrong,’ she revealed. 

‘The life that we previously had is now a thing of the past, but we’re still hopeful that a breakthrough will happen, and that God, a miracle will happen.’

Johnson added that Brittany ‘hasn’t left my side’ since the diagnosis, and that his children give him reason to carry on. 

‘It’s continued to progress much faster than I imagined,’ Johnson explained. ‘I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body. 

Johnson spoke through the machine alongside his wife during the ABC interview at their home

Johnson retired in 2017 and was previously the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2009

‘Just over a year ago I was picking up my seven-year-old daughter so she could make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn’t do that.’

When asked why he had chosen now to share his story, Johnson revealed: ‘Because if sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research or gives another family hope, then it’s worth it.’ 

‘First, I want people to know that I’m still me,’ he began. ‘ALS has changed what my body can do but it hasn’t changed who I am.’

His rapid decline left fans in tears as they watched him explain his diagnosis and the subsequent effects on his body. 

Johnson has no history of the disease in his family and doctors believe his condition to be a case of ‘sporadic ALS’, which is the most common form of the disease and occurs randomly.

Johnson holds his Offensive Player of the Year trophy in February 2010 alongside Phil Simms

Johnson on vacation before his ALS diagnosis changed his life last year

‘It can happen to someone who never expected it,’ Johnson revealed. ‘I don’t know if you can ever fully process it. 

‘At first you’re in shock, then you realize you have two choices: you can give up or you can fight. I chose to fight.’

After his diagnosis, doctors recorded Johnson’s voice, so that even when he is using a machine to speak, it still sounds exactly like him. 

Johnson ended his professional career in 2017 after three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, totaling 11,000 yards in his ten years in the league.

He is best known for his six seasons in Tennessee, during which he was voted to the Pro Bowl three times and won Offensive Player of the Year, before moving to the New York Jets.