Psychiatrists who specialize in children make up a small percentage of the total number of psychiatrists, but their work is unique and takes place in a variety of settings. Young children and adolescents may be treated a child psychiatrist. He or she performs a variety of tasks with children under the age of 18 in this capacity, assisting in the treatment of a variety of mental health issues.
The child psychiatrist’s work environment may influence the type of work he or she does. Psychiatrists can work for private practices in the community or for agencies that help families and children in crisis, such as child protective services. Some psychiatrists have forensic training and may work in the justice system on behalf of children or for the government. There are mental health wards dedicated to children, and many professionals find work in one of these facilities to assist children who require immediate treatment or who have long-term mental health issues.
The child psychiatrist can begin working as a diagnostician in any of these capacities, determining the exact nature of the mental health issue or issues. Following that, these professionals can devise a treatment plan, which often includes the administration of appropriate medications. Once treatment is in place, the patient frequently requires medication adjustments, which the child psychiatrist may determine based on the client’s behavior and, in some cases, in consultation with family members or guardians. Finding the right medication and dose may lead to having follow-up sessions with children over time to ensure that treatment is still appropriate; as children grow and change, they may require dosage changes on a regular basis, which usually necessitate careful monitoring.
Interacting with parents/guardians is an important part of the child psychiatrist’s job, especially in private practice. Because children can’t always express their problems or issues, establishing a rapport with attentive parents can aid in treatment. On the other hand, when parents aren’t available or aren’t a good resource, the child psychiatrist may have to rely on personal observation to gather data about treatment response. Other health care workers may be responsible for some of this observation in hospital settings.
If the child psychiatrist not only prescribes medication but also provides therapy, treatment observation may be more extensive. Some of these experts work as psychotherapists, but not all of them do. When a child psychiatrist only prescribes medication, they may collaborate with parents and other mental health professionals such as marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and psychologists, who are the child’s primary therapy providers.
A child psychiatrist’s other responsibilities could include testifying in court about a child’s mental fitness. Psychiatrists could also examine and write reports and recommendations for custody placement of children who have been injured their parents or guardians in the past. Some psychiatrists conduct research or work on the development of new treatments for children, but they may not see patients on a regular basis.