Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr. Olga Kovalchuk
When to contact a psychiatrist?
Children and adolescents are forced to face a multitude of emotional challenges. Many of them have existed for a long time and some characterize the last period.
At all ages, children are expected to pass tests and take exams, with different levels of importance and under different levels of pressure. Hierarchies can be clear within the playground, with teasing or bullying of those who appear vulnerable in any way. Unfortunately, children and youth are still victims of abuse and neglect and there is a growing awareness of the long-term effects of trauma. Some young people witness the serious illness or death of a relative, or they themselves suffer from a chronic illness that significantly interferes with their ability to participate in age-appropriate activities. Adolescence is usually a time of self-exploration, and for some young people experimentation with alcohol or drugs leads to addiction.
Additional pressures exist today. These pressures can sometimes seem overwhelming. The influence of the various media may lead to dissatisfaction with the appearance and body image, or to unrealistic expectations in terms of lifestyle and possibilities. This may increase worries about the future such as career and relationships. Escapism can be seen in the form of excessive gaming and an excessive need to interact with virtual reality. Following the closures during the Corona period, a huge increase was observed in the number of children who need the services of the mental health system and we are still studying the impact of this unprecedented period on the emotional, social and behavioral development of young people.
From time immemorial, there are children and young people who find it difficult to talk about their situation and many of them remain in distress but without attention until they reach a crisis point and can no longer manage.
There is no doubt that there is a better recognition of the disorders and emotional conditions that young people face today. At the same time, mental health services have been hit hard by the current economic climate leading to long waiting lists. When there are signs of deterioration in the child's emotional state, it is very important to seek psychiatric evaluation as early as possible. Intervention at an early stage may prevent a more serious disease at a later stage.
Practice areas
A psychiatric diagnostic evaluation is intended to give a comprehensive assessment that refers to the mental and behavioral difficulties of the child. It is usually conducted over three sessions. The first meeting is with both parents. The second meeting is done with the child or the teenager. In the third meeting, a summary of the diagnostic findings is made and treatment recommendations are given.
Your child has a noticeable change in mood and/or behavior, in a way that affects his/her functioning
For example, he/she seems sad or nervous a significant part of the time, lacks interest in the activities of his/her peers, expresses fears and a feeling of anxiety, has stopped expressing interest in studies or refuses to go to school
Your child has a damaged body image and is afraid of gaining weight and there is a radical change in eating habits including a lack of eating and/or excessive physical activity and/or you suspect that he/she is vomiting
In the described case, you must first of all contact your family doctor or a pediatrician urgently for a physical examination (cardiac electrical activity chart, blood tests). And this is to check that there is no physical danger as a result of not eating enough and/or vomiting. At the same time, a psychiatric diagnosis should be sought. In more severe cases, an urgent evaluation is required.
Your child has expressed suicidal thoughts
Such a case requires immediate intervention that will include an examination by a doctor in a hospital emergency room. Do not delay the examination until the available time at the clinic unless there are immediate inquiries.
It was revealed to us that your child hurts himself/herself
The case requires immediate attention, as in the case of suicidal thoughts
Your child has difficulty organizing, difficulty concentrating and being attentive in lessons, impulsive and not emotionally regulated
The symptoms may indicate the existence of ADHD but can be caused by a variety of emotional and mental disorders including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and many other conditions. In order to establish a diagnosis, a comprehensive medical evaluation is required, including a psychiatric examination, a general medical examination, filling out questionnaires by parents and teachers, and more.
Your child was recently diagnosed by a psychologist and the existence of an attention disorder was suspected
Attention deficit disorder is a common phenomenon, estimated at 5-10% of the total population of school-aged children. Today it is known that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder does not go away in most cases, and it will accompany the majority of those with it even in adolescence and adulthood. This is a significant disorder, which in the absence of treatment can cause severe damage to a person's functioning and health, and is also accompanied by significant co-morbidity, mainly in the behavioral and mental spheres. Early and correct diagnosis of the disorder is essential.
Your child has persistent communication and/or social difficulties
Difficulties in interpersonal communication and persistent social difficulties do not necessarily indicate the existence of a communication disorder. A diagnosis of a communication disorder requires a medical clinical diagnosis and a dedicated psychological diagnosis. The final diagnosis will be determined by a doctor.
A psychodiagnostic testing was conducted for your child and the findings of the testing indicate that he has the symptoms that are required for the diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder
In order to complete the diagnosis, a medical clinical assessment is required. If the findings of the clinical assessment are consistent with the findings of the psychodiagnostic testings, the doctor will give a final diagnosis.
At the end of the psychiatric diagnosis that was conducted for your child, it was decided on drug treatment
Psychiatric follow-up appointments and medication follow-up
At the end of the psychiatric diagnosis that was conducted for your child, it was decided not to start drug treatment, but continued psychiatric follow-up was recommended
When non-pharmacological methods of treatment were recommended, the doctor may recommend psychiatric follow-up in order to monitor the progress of the treatment and examine the need for further drug treatment
Your child is dealing with an emotional and/or mental difficulty and has been asked to bring the opinion of a treating psychiatrist to the recruiting office
When there is a previous psychiatric background or current follow-up treatment, you will often be required to bring a psychiatric opinion to the recruiting office.
It seems that a normal education framework is not suitable for the emotional and functional needs of your child, therefore it was decided to form an eligibility and characterization committee in order to find an educational framework that suits his needs.
The Eligibility and Characterization Committee will examine your child's eligibility for the provision of a personal study basket or his/her inclusion in a special education class or a special education school. For the purpose of examining eligibility, you will sometimes be required to bring a psychiatric opinion.
Possible reasons for seeing a psychiatrist
Values
Empathy
Professionalism
Acceptance
Precision
Dedication