What Is Child And Adolescent Psychiatry: Why Does It Matter?

Did you know that the human brain continues to develop and mature into the mid-to-late 20s, especially in areas involved in planning and judgement? The prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain housed behind the forehead, is responsible for prioritization, judgment, and planning – it is also the last area of the brain to fully develop. Based on this fact alone, you can imagine why it might be important to have a basic understanding of child and adolescent psychiatry.

The brains of children and teenagers are constantly changing in response to biological and environmental forces. Ahead, we will explain the aims of child and adolescent psychiatrists, describe techniques frequently used within the domain, and make recommendations for locating the best psychiatrist for your child.

What Do Child And Adolescent Psychiatrists Do?

Psychiatry is a medical field in which physicians and other licensed psychiatric providers evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions. Psychiatry is not to be confused with psychology. It is not the same as child counseling, either. They are similar fields, but what distinguishes psychiatrists from counselors or psychologists is their ability to prescribe medication when clinically appropriate; additionally, psychiatrists are more often involved when diagnostic complexity, medication evaluation, or in the treatment for more severe mental disorders is present.

Therefore, child and adolescent psychiatrists aim to support youth (under age 18) dealing with a range of mental health challenges. Child and adolescent psychiatry is a complex field because youth’s brains are still developing; meaning, a psychiatrist is trained to evaluate whether a child has a diagnosable mental health condition, or if they just going through a typical child development stage. This question is frequently asked when considering a diagnosis, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

How Do Psychiatrists Evaluate Child And Adolescent Mental Health?

A child and adolescent psychiatrist can diagnose their patients in many of the same ways as a general psychiatrist. Here are some ways they do so. They will typically start by evaluating the child and the parent to learn about symptoms. A psychiatrist may use someone’s family health history to inform their assessment, as well. Has the youth experienced adverse or traumatic events? How do they get along with their siblings, if any?

Next, the psychiatrist will try to diagnose the child based on the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which categorizes mental health disorders according to groupings of symptoms. The DSM-5 is a widely used diagnostic manual in mental health care

Treating the mental health condition is the next step. A psychiatrist may use different methods to support the child such as talk therapy and/or medication, depending on the provider’s evaluation and the child’s needs. A parent usually follows up with the psychiatrist about any questions or concerns they have. Some mental health conditions may improve with age, but others can get worse or cause other problems if left untreated.

What Treatments Do Psychiatrists Use?

A psychiatrist can support your child’s mental health and daily functioning. Many treatment plans for mental health conditions like depression or anxiety may include a combination of talk therapy and medication.

Talk Therapy

In psychotherapy, a psychiatrist or therapist will listen to what you and your child have to say, and then suggest strategies based on the child's developmental stage. For example, if the child is shy and this is causing significant distress or impairment, the psychiatrist may formulate a plan that can help them learn how to talk to others. If a teen is feeling depressed, a psychiatrist may use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help them reframe negative thought patterns. This can help shift their thinking in a more constructive direction and support overall well-being. Talk therapy can be used instead of, or in addition to, medication in many cases.

Medicine

Medication to address symptoms of mental health conditions is one of the most well-known ways a psychiatrist can offer treatment. Based on a full evaluation, a psychiatrist may prescribe medication when clinically appropriate. Medication use, especially in children, should be monitored closely so that side effects and benefits can be reviewed over time. If your child needs to stop taking their medication, switch medication types, or adjust the dosage, these are all questions you can bring up with your psychiatrist, and caregivers are encouraged to do so.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

When a mental health condition doesn't respond to either of these two approaches, electroconvulsive therapy may be considered in some cases. ECT is a medical procedure performed under anesthesia in which a brief electrical stimulus is used to induce a controlled seizure. ECT uses electrical stimulation under anesthesia. Other brain-stimulation approaches, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), use magnetism and are different procedures.

Electroconvulsive therapy can be an effective option for some severe, treatment resistant cases cases, but it is typically reserved for carefully selected situations. As with any medical procedure, the treating medical team will carefully monitor safety and response throughout treatment.

Finding A Good Child And Adolescent Psychiatrist

Certain factors can make it challenging for someone to find a best-fit child and adolescent psychiatrist. To start, the field's demand is much higher than its supply. Additionally, living in certain parts of the country means you may have limited access to excellent mental health care resources. The need to commute long distances in order to seek care can be difficult for working families to manage.

One option for finding a great child psychiatrist is to ask around among your friends. Maybe one of their kids met with a psychiatrist and they can provide you with some insight. You can also talk to your health insurance provider, who may have a list of psychiatrists available who will accept your insurance and provide assistance at little to no cost.

Of course, you can always conduct an internet search for child and adolescent psychiatrists in your area. You can read the reviews and see how well they support other patients' children. If the reviews seem good, consider booking an initial consultation.

Many parents will appreciate the tendency for online therapy to be a more affordable alternative to in-person therapy, in some cases. In addition to possibility costing less per session, online care also reduces the need to take off of work (or other priorities) and commute in traffic. Online therapy options exist to help make therapy more accessible. While MyTherapist is for adults only, teenagers are eligible to seek adolescent counseling through TeenCounseling, a sister platform to MyTherapist. BetterHelp now offers psychiatry services through UpLift for adults, which can be an additional care option alongside therapy and may include medication management when clinically appropriate. Medication availability and coverage may vary by member location, clinical appropriateness, and individual pharmacy/insurance benefits. Prescribing decisions are made by the treating clinicians. We do not guarantee that any specific medication will be prescribed or covered by a member’s insurance plan.

Questions To Ask Psychiatrists

When you find a child and adolescent psychiatrist, you have the right to ask them whatever questions you have regarding the treatment process. For example, while addressing mental health concerns early can be beneficial, some people have concerns about giving children certain types of medication. It is reasonable to ask detailed questions about risks, benefits, alternatives, and monitoring before making treatment decisions.

It is okay to have concerns about administering medication to youth for mental health purposes. A good psychiatrist will encourage parents and youth to ask as many questions as needed before starting a medication and while taking it regularly. In addition to discussing any reservations you may have about administering medication to children or teenagers, here are a few additional questions you might pose:

• What is your experience? Where did you get your degree? What are your qualifications?
• How long will your typical session be? Will you work around my child's schedule?
• How will you treat my child? Will you try several different methods?
• When it comes to an emergency, how long will it take for you to respond?
• How long will it take for you to make a diagnosis? (A thoughtful psychiatrist will take enough time to make a careful assessment rather than rushing to diagnose).