Pediatricians should take a lead role in identifying and helping children experiencing mental health disorders, a national pediatricians group said Tuesday.

Roughly 1 in 5 children experience a mental health disorder, but just 20 percent of those children receive treatment for such conditions. And pediatricians must fill this gap, according to a mental health task force from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In a supplement to the journal Pediatrics published Tuesday, the task force recommends that pediatricians should be on the lookout for mental health disorders ranging from autism to depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, each time they see a child.

The reason: early identification and treatment can yield better outcomes for these children. And, since pediatricians often have a long-term relationship with families, they are in a position to develop trust and become a resource if and when there are mental health concerns.

What’s more, the group recommends that doctors establish a network of mental health professionals to refer parents to and that they look to creative solutions — like psychiatric services provided over the telephone — when local resources are limited.

Read more stories like this one. Sign up for Disability Scoop's free email newsletter to get the latest developmental disability news sent straight to your inbox.