Pediatric Psychology and Psychiatry Diagnosis

Diagnosing pediatric psychological and psychiatric disorders

Mental health disorders in childhood are common but often go undiagnosed. Unwillingness to talk about their feelings, embarrassment and stigma may prevent a child from seeking help. A lack of awareness of symptoms or knowing what to do next can prevent parents from taking action.

However, any mental, emotional or behavioral illness can severely impact a child’s development and put enormous stress on the whole family. Seeing a child suffer can be hard, but talking to a professional is the first step in identifying the problem, getting an accurate diagnosis and accessing the right treatment for your child.

Our child psychology and psychiatric specialists offer comprehensive diagnostic examination and evaluations, assessing physical, emotional, developmental, cognitive, genetic, educational, and social components. Our experts may work with other specialists, including social workers and other healthcare professionals during the evaluation period.

Diagnostic methods might include:

• Complete medical examination
• Discussing medical history
• Discussing history of any emotional or physical trauma
• Discussing family history of mental and physical health
• Reviewing symptoms and concerns with the child’s parents
• Reviewing the child's developmental progress and milestones
• Reviewing academic history
• Interviewing parents
• Conversations with the child
• Observing the child’s behavior
• Standardized assessments and questionnaires for the child and parents.

A diagnosis will be made based on the duration, nature and impact of the signs and symptoms of the child. Diagnosing childhood mental illness can take time, especially for younger children, as they may have trouble understanding or expressing their feelings.

Once the pediatric psychiatrist arrives at a diagnosis, this will be discussed in full with the child and their family and a treatment plan recommended.

Support your child’s development

Any type of mental illness can impact a child’s wellbeing and normal development. An accurate diagnosis is essential in accessing the right type of help and support they need. Talk to our pediatric mental health team to find out more.