What Is a Child Psychiatrist?
A child psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating behavioral and thought disorders in children. A child psychiatrist uses his knowledge on many factors including biological and psychological factors, in order to devise a treatment plan for a child with behavior and thought disorders. This plan may include medication to help control or minimize certain behaviors or thoughts. Dr. Anita.Daund is Best Child Psychologist in Nashik
What Does a Child Psychiatrist Do?
If your child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD or autism), a child psychiatrist can be a very valuable member of your child\’s care team. Children with autism may have other mood or thought disorders that exist in addition to autism. Disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), may occur in children with autism; however, behaviors associated with this disorder can be managed with medication and psychiatric intervention.
A psychiatrist may devise a treatment plan that may involve just your child, your family, or another group. A treatment plan may either include medication or behavioral therapy, in order to reduce negative behaviors. A child psychiatrist can also act as an advocate for your child with other doctors, school professionals, agencies, or other organizations. If you looking child psychologist in Nashik then meet Dr. Anita Daund is the Best Child Psychatrist In Nashik
Common Psychological Disorders In Children
Practicing in the field of child psychiatry (child psychiatrists) in Mumbai, have noticed many psychological problems which can be seen in children.
Children can suffer from the following psychiatric illnesses:
Anxiety disorders:
Children with anxiety disorders respond to certain things or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety (nervousness), such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. They may refuse to interact with other children or avoid going to school.
Disruptive behavior disorders:
Children with these disorders tend to defy rules and often are disruptive in structured environments, such as school.
Pervasive development disorders:
This refers to a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination. Children with these disorders are confused in their thinking and generally have problems understanding the world around them.
Eating disorders:
Eating disorders involve intense emotions and attitudes, as well as unusual behaviors, associated with weight and/or food.
Elimination disorders:
These disorders affect behavior related to the elimination of body wastes (feces and urine).
Mood disorders:
These disorders involve persistent feelings of sadness and/or rapidly changing moods. Depression is very common in children and often ignored. It can at times lead to suicide in children and adolescents.
Schizophrenia :
This is a serious disorder that involves distorted perceptions and thoughts.
Tic disorders :
These disorders cause a person to perform repeated, sudden, involuntary and often meaningless movements and sounds, called tics.
Symptoms of mental illness in children
- Children’s symptoms vary depending on the type of mental illness, but some of the general symptoms could be seen as :
- Changes in school performance, such as poor grades despite good efforts
- Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol
- Inability to deal with daily problems and activities
- Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
- Excessive complaints of physical ailments
- Defying parents or teachers, skipping school, stealing, or damaging property
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- Persistent negative moods, often accompanied by poor appetite and thoughts of death
- Anger outbursts
- Loss of interest in friends and activities they usually enjoy
- Significant increase in time spent alone
- Excessive worrying or anxiety
- Hyperactivity
- Persistent nightmares or night terrors
- Persistent disobedience or aggressive behavior
- Frequent temper tantrums
- Hearing voices inaudible to others or seeing things that are nonexistent
- You must have noticed that psychiatric symptoms in children are bit different than adults. So,parents and the child psychiatrist, both have to be extra vigilant and good listener as well.