Psychiatry

A psychiatrist for children and youths (hereafter “child’s psychiatrist”) generally deals with the diagnostics and treatment of children and youths up to the age of 18, with psychic and behavioural disorders.

The main method of examination of the psychiatrist is a psychiatric interview, with the child, as well as his/her parents (or legal representative). The child’s psychiatrist, for making a more complete evaluation may refer the child/youth to another specialist, (clinical psychologist, speech therapist, special education teacher, family therapist). Additionally he/she may ask the child’s/youth’s kindergarten/school teacher for an opinion. The intervention and treatment methods are individual and need based. They depend, thus foremost on the nature and severity of the child’s mental health problem.

It is recommended to turn to a child’s psychiatrist, if the problems listed below hinder a child’s/youth’s daily wellbeing and age specific coping.

We recommend turning to a child’s psychiatrist if a child shows:

• Changes in mood (relative to the customary depressed, elevated or fickle mood)
• Lack of interest and vitality (incl. suicide thoughts and plans)
• Excessive anxiety (incl. different fears)
• Communication difficulties
• Concentration difficulties
• Difficulties regulating emotions
• Excessive activeness and impulsive responsiveness
• Forced thoughts and behaviour
• Expressed changes in eating habits
• Expressed changes in rhythm of sleeping and being awake
• Unusual sensory experiences (illusionary hearing or vision, sense of reality disorders etc.)
• Difficulty studying, in which case it is foremost recommended to turn to the Rajaleidja centre www.rajaleidja.innove.ee