Six-year (2016-2022) longitudinal patterns of mental health service utilization rates among children developmentally vulnerable in kindergarten and the COVID-19 pandemic disruption.

Utilizing population-wide data, our study reveals sex specific developmental vulnerabilities and its impact on children's mental health service utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to the existing literature. With data from kindergarten, we emphasize the need for early and targeted intervention strategies, especially for at-risk children, offering a path to reduce the burden of childhood mental health disorders.