Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health
The board-certified child psychiatrists at University Health are prepared to provide focused, compassionate care for your child. While we do not offer inpatient care, we offer inpatient consultation and outpatient medication management. We treat a range of mental conditions your child may face.
Our team of experts includes your child’s pediatrician and a social worker in addition to their psychiatrist. We will provide you and your child all-encompassing care so they can get better.
Psychiatric Consultations for Women's & Children's Hospital Patients
At the Women's & Children's Hospital, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist offers consultation services for children and teens admitted to medical units at the hospital. This is for children and teens who are admitted for non-psychiatric reasons, as we do not offer inpatient behavioral health hospitalization for pediatric patients.
We will consult on patients who present a danger to self or others, or who are experiencing psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and will determine if your child needs specialized inpatient psychiatric care.
Your child’s evaluation will also include a physical health assessment by the primary treatment team and this information is available to the child psychiatrist for review.
Outpatient Psychiatric Services
A board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist can treat children and teens on an outpatient basis. You must get a referral from a pediatric provider in a University Health outpatient clinic.
When referred by a pediatrician, a child/adolescent psychiatrist will perform a clinical evaluation in addition to your pediatrician’s evaluation. This may include family and parent interviews as well as gathering information from your child’s teachers and school.
The overall evaluation will also include a physical health assessment, which may include lab work and a physical exam, typically performed by the pediatrician.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Treatments
Your child’s psychiatrist will develop an individualized treatment plan, which may include:
- Medication recommendations
- Referral for counseling
- Coordinated care with your child’s pediatrician
Your Child’s Care Team
A team will work with your child to ensure they get the care they need. These team members will include:
- Child/adolescent psychiatrist
- Social worker
- Pediatrician
- Psychologist (if your child is admitted to certain hospital pediatric units e.g., hematology/oncology services)
Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Conditions
We treat the following conditions:
- ADHD (with or without Oppositional Defiant Disorder)
- Mood disorders such as:
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
- Anxiety disorders such as:
- PTSD
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Complicated bereavement or grief
- Tourette’s
- Psychiatric diagnoses occurring with complex medical conditions
