When to see a psychiatrist with a child. Excessive or decreased sensitivity to loud sounds, bright lights, strong odors, and touch. How to become a child psychiatrist

Our expert is Deputy Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents, Candidate of Medical Sciences Petr Bezmenov.

Parents are afraid like hell not only of consulting with this specialist, but even of the idea that their child might need his consultation. Meanwhile, no more than 10% of children and adolescents have severe mental disorders. In most cases, we can talk about violations that can be successfully corrected.

When to sound the alarm?

It all depends on the context of the situation and the reaction to it. Here's a simple example. A child is walking down the street with his parents, when suddenly a car comes flying around a bend, speeding a centimeter away from them, almost knocking everyone off their feet. The child is frightened, talks about this incident all evening and cannot fall asleep for a long time.

This reaction is completely natural; in this case, parents need to show patience and care and reassure the child.

The next day, the child still remembers the incident, leaves the house with caution, shys away from passing cars, but nevertheless walks down the street. This reaction suggests that the child is overly impressionable. But parents can still cope with this situation themselves, providing the child’s nervous system with comfortable conditions.

But if, after this incident, every time a child goes outside causes horror, if he begins to be afraid not only of the noise of cars, but also of other loud sounds: screaming, barking dogs, slamming doors, if in the end he stops leaving the house altogether - all this should make parents should consider consulting a specialist.

Whom to choose?

Psychologist or psychiatrist? Not every parent can do it right choice. Therefore, it is not so important who the parents initially turn to: a psychiatrist or a psychologist.

“Parents, as a rule, first come to their pediatrician: the child does not sleep, cries, is excitable, disinhibited, there are not neurologists everywhere, much less psychiatrists,” says Petr Bezmenov. - And, unfortunately, it is extremely rare for a pediatrician to recommend going further. Although he should be wary: in case of certain complaints made by parents, it is advisable to consult a psychiatrist for the child.”

In this sense, it’s easier with schoolchildren. Schools have full-time psychologists who, in theory, should be the first to be wary when they see a child’s inappropriate behavior. Unlike psychiatrists, they have the right to examine a student without his or his parents’ consent. But they cannot make diagnoses and prescribe treatment. But they may advise you to see a doctor if they are concerned about something in the student’s condition.

On the other hand, one can imagine the reaction of mom and dad when they heard that their child needs a consultation with a psychiatrist. This can't be true! We are so successful, we have achieved everything, but you simply do not know how to communicate with our child - often all the help of a psychologist ends with this explosion of emotions. You cannot force someone to consult a psychiatrist.

Meanwhile, parents often come to the hospital with children who are already quite neglected, who for 3-5 years have been trying to correct behavioral characteristics from other specialists, afraid to go to the one they should have gone to from the very beginning. In part, this fear is based on the fact that the child will definitely be “cured” by a psychiatrist.

This is a big misconception. Even in “acute” hospital departments, where children and adolescents with the most severe forms of mental disorders are treated, drug therapy combined with non-medicinal methods. And in relation to patients with borderline forms of disorders, priority is given to psychotherapeutic and psychological-pedagogical methods of correction.

Although, of course, there are diseases in which, unfortunately, success can only be achieved with the help of fairly powerful drugs prescribed for long term. But it’s like, say, with appendicitis: no matter how much you try to knead the stomach, give pills, an operation is needed, otherwise the patient will die.

The same is true in psychiatry: there are conditions for which drug therapy is predominantly used. But there are a lot of disorders that only require work with specialists: a speech therapist, a speech pathologist, a psychologist.

A mark for life?

One of the biggest fears of parents, which prevents them from contacting a psychiatrist, is that this fact will become known in kindergarten or school and will ruin the child’s life.

Meanwhile, firstly, there is a legislative concept of medical confidentiality, and even if the child was in psychiatric hospital, a certificate for kindergarten or school will be given to him by a local pediatrician without a diagnosis, without the name of the hospital.

Secondly, during consultations and observation with a psychiatrist after the end of treatment, the child’s medical record is transferred to the archive and any request will be answered: not registered. Exceptions are made only for children with severe mental disorders, who must be regularly observed by a specialist and who are registered at a dispensary.

And thirdly, the psychiatrist is not involved in the medical examination of children and his conclusion is not required when registering a medical card for either kindergarten or school. Although many psychiatrists believe that their participation in medical examinations would help in the early detection of mental illnesses, and the information could remain closed.

If we have a toothache, we go to the dentist. If a child has a stuffy nose and ears hurt, we go to an ENT specialist. But what if your mental health is upset? If we or our child have trouble sleeping, if we get tired quickly, feel sad or anxious a lot, or maybe, on the contrary, become aggressive and scandalous, capricious and shed a tear every now and then? In such situations, we usually expect everything to “go away on its own.” And if we think about healers of human souls, then most often we are at a loss as to which specialist to turn to for advice.

"You'll go right... You'll go left..."

The causes of mental illness can be very different. Perhaps somewhere in the body there is a sluggish inflammatory process, and the body is flooded with autotoxins “to the very top,” which causes a loss of strength, irritability and leads to constant conflicts with others. It also happens that a client comes to a psychologist to correct depression, and then settles with a nephrologist to work on renal failure. Another option: a person cannot overcome some traumatic event (separation from loved ones, sudden change sphere of activity - and for some, a fire in a barn may be enough), and therefore he cannot gather his strength, make important decisions and get out of depression. In addition, people are often acutely worried about another age crisis or a development crisis and think: “Life is over! I am dangerously ill, and fate is a villain.” And then a competent person comes in handy to help you navigate the situation and understand that the experiences and feelings that a person is faced with are not a sign dangerous disease, but quite normal and natural. There are a lot of options.

And all problem situations are different. In some places, a suffering person may well need a “debriefing” with a psychologist, but in others, drug intervention or physiotherapeutic procedures may be required. But in principle, with a problem you can go to any of the “mental profile” specialists, and if necessary, the selected specialist will refer the client to another doctor. Although it is worthwhile to imagine the main differences between soul rescue professionals: after all, some of them trust pills and physical procedures more, while others are more inclined to carefully go through the details of the mental mechanism.

NEUROLOGIST

A specialist in this profile is called not only a neurologist: sometimes “Neurologist” or “Psychoneurologist” are listed on door signs. Firstly, This is a doctor with higher medical education. And he deals with diseases nervous system: he is interested precisely in our material nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, and branches of nerves throughout the body. It is important for a neurologist that nothing interferes with the brain functioning normally and managing the life of our body, so that all parts of the brain do their job, and nerve fibers carried out electrochemical impulses to all systems and organs - and back. And if something is disrupted in the functioning of the nervous system, then the neurologist diagnoses, prescribes treatment and recommends preventive measures on warning nervous diseases. A neurologist treats you with medications and special manipulations ( manual therapy, kinesiology, reflexology, etc.), therapeutic exercises and massage, physiotherapy (electrophoresis, mud and paraffin applications and so on.).

For example, a mother and child come to see a neurologist: the doctor examines the baby, checks his reflexes, muscle tone, position of the neck, spine, feet, symmetry of the left and right sides of the body, and asks the mother questions about the child’s behavior. After this, the neurologist may prescribe additional hardware studies (electroencephalography, ultrasound diagnostics etc.) to clarify the situation. And having put together his observations and research data, the neurologist makes recommendations. For treatment, he can prescribe drugs that affect the functioning of the nervous system (moreover, the choice of drugs is extensive and for each specific child you can select tablets that are optimally suitable for him). If necessary, massage and physiotherapy are additionally prescribed; consultation with a chiropractor or reflexologist, speech therapist and, possibly, a psychologist or psychiatrist is recommended. The neurologist can also give the mother specific private advice: for example, lead the child more by the right hand or put the right shoe on the right hand for 1-2 hours a day for a month. left leg, and the left one to the right one. It is better to carry out the neurologist’s prescriptions in a course – all at once. If we first take medications, go for a massage a month later, and after another couple of weeks we get to a reflexologist, then the effect of such treatment will be somewhat blurred.

In what cases should you contact a neurologist:

· in infants: birth injuries, asphyxia, hypoxia, umbilical cord entanglement;

· delayed speech and mental development;

· hyperactivity, restlessness, inability to concentrate;

· post-traumatic adverse conditions, especially with injuries to the head, neck, back;

headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting;

· tics, obsessive movements, stuttering, fears;

· radiculitis, osteochondrosis, sensitivity disorders.

PSYCHIATRIST

A psychiatrist (sometimes a psychopathologist) is also a specialist with higher medical education who has undergone special training in the field of mental disorders. Accordingly, the area of ​​interest of a psychiatrist is mental disorders, their diagnosis, dynamics and treatment. The psychiatrist is focused on mental functions person: perception, memory, thinking, emotional experiences - and if these mental functions are noticeably disturbed, upset, then the psychiatrist knows how to bring them back to normal. In addition, psychiatrists also treat psychosomatic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, thyroid gland, peptic ulcer and some others. This specialist treats with pills, a regimen and psychotherapeutic conversation. But mostly - with pills and a regimen (maybe, of course, a scalpel and electric shock, but it’s too early for you and me to think about these methods). And the significant difference between a psychiatrist and other specialists in mental health is that only he has the right to use special psychopharmacological drugs in treatment.

For example, a parent and child contact a psychiatrist with complaints of hyperactivity, hysteria and inattention. The doctor observes the child, asks him questions, asks him to perform various tasks, and asks the parent about the child’s behavioral characteristics. The psychiatrist can refer the child to a neurologist and then get acquainted with his conclusion and recommendations. The psychiatrist may also recommend additional hardware tests to clarify the situation (electroencephalography, for example). Good specialist will definitely pay attention to the child’s character traits, his family environment and heredity, take into account age characteristics and many other factors, and only then give an assessment of the child’s condition and, if necessary, make recommendations therapeutic measures: medications, restoratives, procedures and regimen, and also, if necessary, work with a psychologist. A psychiatrist is in charge of resolving issues such as referral to a specialized kindergarten or school, transfer of a child to individual training, exemption from school exams (and military service, by the way), and, if necessary, registration of disability.

In what cases should you contact a psychiatrist:

· obsessive fears and excessive anxiety;

Depression, prolonged low mood or apathy;

· extreme ups and downs of mood;

· noticeable changes in the usual eating and sleeping patterns;

· inability to cope daily activities and everyday problems;

Excessive lying and fantasizing (when the child cannot distinguish real world from the world of his fantasies and believes that this is really happening);

· inappropriate behavior: excessive aggressiveness, ritualistic, obsessive behavior;

· as well as in adults and adults: thoughts or conversations about suicide;

· noticeable personality change;

· strange or grandiose ideas;

· Alcohol or drug abuse.

If you or your loved ones have been experiencing one or even some of these signs for a long time, then there is a reason to visit a psychiatrist, because any disease is easier to correct with early stages. Although, of course, of all the healers of human souls, the psychiatrist, in the popular consciousness, is the most demonized figure. We still have to deal with ideas about mental illness as a “shame”, about mental patients as people “feeble-minded” and “weak-willed”, “dangerous” and “incurable”. In addition, there is a widespread opinion that a “self-sufficient person” can “pull himself together” and sort out his moral, emotional and psychological problems. However, it is worth remembering: history knows many cases when similar problems transform into somatic diseases, and mental disorders become protracted. And you also have to somehow live and fight with this.

PSYCHOLOGIST

First of all, a psychologist is not a doctor. This is a specialist with a higher education in the humanities, trained in the field scientific and applied psychology. Psychologists have a significant amount of knowledge about the development and functioning of the psyche, the psychology of personality and the psychology of individual differences.

Typically, a psychologist specializes in one or more areas practical psychology: child psychology, social psychology or organizational psychology. Psychologists are more focused on the problems of generally mentally healthy people.

Under the name “psychologist”, up to a dozen professions are encrypted in the mass consciousness, which often have little in common with each other. Here and psychological counseling, and psychodiagnostics, and psychological testing (for example, for career guidance), and business consulting with coaching, and trainings with psychological groups. There are also specialists in theoretical psychology: academic research psychologists and educational psychologists and teachers. The listed representatives of different psychological specialties cannot replace each other, just as a gynecologist without proper retraining cannot treat clients’ teeth.

But when we go to a psychologist about our own or our children’s mental illness, about family troubles or problems at work, then most often we mean a practical consulting psychologist. Ideally, a specialist consultant has not only theoretical knowledge, but also confident skills in working with clients. It would be good if the psychologist himself underwent psychotherapy: firstly, in order to better understand the mechanisms of the psyche in crisis situations, and secondly, in order not to try to solve his own problems at the expense of clients. Consulting psychologists help you find a way out of a crisis situation, believe in yourself, find internal reserves, and get out of depression. Depending on the complexity of the problem, on the client’s condition, on the technology in which the psychologist works, we can talk about either short-term counseling, designed for one or two meetings, or long-term therapy lasting from several weeks to several months, or even years .

In what cases should you contact a psychologist:

· dissatisfaction with yourself and your life;

· depression;

· lack of understanding with loved ones;

· separation, divorce or other crisis situations in personal life and at work;

· in children - including for diagnosis and correction of the cognitive sphere (attention, thinking, memory, imagination) - with delayed speech and mental development, learning difficulties, to diagnose the child’s readiness for school;

· fears, anxiety;

· enuresis, tics, stuttering;

· psychosomatic diseases (if you notice that a child’s chronic diseases– asthma, ulcer, neurodermatitis);

· problems in communicating with adults and peers;

· aggression, hyperactivity;

· if the child has experienced sexual, physical or psychological violence;

after injury (death) loved one, parental divorce, surgery, accident, etc.)

NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST

Let's say a few words about neuropsychologists who can help effective assistance to many children. These are specialists who know special method diagnosis and correction of learning difficulties and behavioral problems. Neuropsychologists say that mental processes (attention, thinking, memory, etc.) are associated with certain parts of the brain. And neuropsychologists have developed special exercises that help to further develop or correct the necessary parts of the brain, thereby influencing behavior in the desired way. For example, to relieve hyperactivity and increase concentration of attention for an 8-year-old child, a neuropsychologist prescribes the following gymnastics: for two weeks, five minutes a day, lie still, sticking out your tongue, breathe with your stomach on a count, move your limbs and roll your eyes. All this is under the guidance of a neuropsychologist. Children like it :) Neuropsychologist helps predict further development child, as well as correctly constructing correctional work.

In what cases should you contact a neuropsychologist:

· learning difficulties;

· behavioral problems, hyperactivity;

· delays in speech and mental development;

· disharmonious development (let’s say everything is fine with memory and thinking, but the volitional sphere and control over behavior leaves much to be desired);

· birth trauma, minimal brain dysfunction.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST

In our country, only a specialist with a higher medical education, that is, a doctor, has the right to be called a psychotherapist. Who, in addition to his medical diploma, has undergone specialization in psychotherapy, that is, this doctor must master the methods of psychotherapeutic work with the patient. For example, very often a psychiatrist masters psychotherapeutic techniques, then he speaks of himself as a psychiatrist-psychotherapist... There are many methods of psychotherapeutic work: Ericksonian trance, Gestalt therapy, NLP, transpersonal therapy, body-oriented therapy... During psychotherapeutic interaction, the patient has the opportunity consider your mental problem more objectively, turn to your inner resources, experience “forgotten” experiences, and get support.

Sometimes psychologists who also master certain psychotherapeutic techniques call themselves psychotherapists, and in a sense this is justified, although it is incorrect official positions. However, a practicing psychologist is not a doctor, therefore, if necessary, he cannot prescribe medications to the client (the same antidepressants in cases of severe clinical depression or sedatives in case of panic attacks and phobias). In practice, when working with relatively healthy people, the differences between good doctor a psychotherapist-psychologist and a good doctor, a psychotherapist-psychiatrist may not be. When we're talking about about serious mental illnesses, it is better to combine psychiatric and psychotherapeutic assistance. In some cases, it is effective when both treatments are carried out by one psychotherapist; in other cases, it is better to separate these two types of assistance between two different specialists.

In what cases should you contact a psychotherapist:

Depression, apathy;

· dissatisfaction with life and dissatisfaction with oneself;

· life problems and shocks;

· anxiety states and obsessive fears;

· panic disorders;

lethargy, irritability, loss of strength;

· psychosomatic diseases (exacerbation of chronic diseases due to stress).

As you can see, it is quite difficult to distinguish between the professional spheres of all the listed specialists: there are psychologists-psychotherapists, psychiatrists-psychotherapists, practicing psychologists of different directions... And in order not to get confused, you can follow simple rule: if there is a healer of souls in your field of vision, in whose competence you are confident, then feel free to contact him - be it a neurologist or a psychologist. And he, if necessary, will redirect you to other specialists - possibly targeted.

And we wish the Yu-Mamovites great mental health and strength to overcome any everyday troubles!

Something is wrong with the teenager.

Signs of internal readiness for suicide may include changes in sleep and appetite, problems with academic performance, loss of interest in one’s life. appearance, increased aggressiveness. Teenagers may start giving away things that are dear to them to friends. Without parental support, a teenager often gives up.

Psychiatry and psychology are relatively young sciences. Therefore, it is quite normal for parents to not clearly understand the differences between a child psychologist, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist. Let's try to figure out what these specialists are responsible for and who should be contacted in certain situations.

Psychologist: teacher for the emotional sphere

However, a child psychologist is not a doctor, but a teacher with higher specialized education. He did not study at a medical school, and therefore does not “treat” children in the traditional sense. He also does not prescribe medications, but can only indicate the possible need to take medications and advise you to contact a neurologist about this.

A psychologist, so to speak, corrects the child’s emotions due to certain situations, helping to cope or look at them differently. During conversations (or games, if the child is very small), he also looks for reasons for inadequate child behavior and tries to deal with them.

Examples of cases for contacting a child psychologist:

• Night terrors, susceptibility to phobias;
• Aggression, uncontrollable behavior.;
• Excessive shyness;
• Sudden changes in behavior (for example, sudden academic failure against the background of previous good grades);
• A traumatic situation in a child's life.

Psychiatrist: a doctor guarding mental health

The psychiatrist may use non-drug treatments, but pharmacotherapy remains dominant. It is important to understand that one rarely gets an appointment with this specialist suddenly and “from the street,” since the psychiatrist deals with significant mental disorders. Parents, and especially the pediatrician and neurologist, can hardly ignore them. As a rule, a small patient receives a referral to a psychiatrist from doctors from a children's clinic, in particular from a neurologist.

Examples of cases for contacting a child psychiatrist:

• Uncontrollable, violent outbursts of anger;
• Hallucinations in a child;
• Obsessive states;
• Panic attacks;
• Long-term sleep disorders;
• Impaired memory, thinking, perception.

Psychotherapist: doctor and teacher rolled into one

We can say that a child psychotherapist serves as a symbiosis of a teacher and a doctor, since he uses A complex approach, diagnosing and, if necessary, prescribing to the patient necessary medications. Most often these are sedatives, such as Tenoten for children, which help protect the child’s immature psyche from overload and normalize behavior. The cases with which one turns to a psychotherapist are in many ways similar to practice child psychologist. But if the latter deals with the “little things of life,” then the psychotherapist is also well versed in clinical topics.

Examples of cases for contacting a child psychotherapist:

• Aggressive, antisocial or inappropriate behavior;
• Low self-esteem, permanent self-doubt;
• Phobias and guilt;
• Obsessive states;
• Experienced deep psychotrauma.

The branch of medicine known as child psychiatry is an important area, the importance of which cannot be overestimated. Many children are susceptible to various mental illnesses, so a specialist in this field has to deal with mental pathologies, their symptoms, causes, features of diagnosis and treatment, as well as the prevention of mental illnesses in children and adolescents. Special medical training helps the doctor diagnose, treat, prevent and rehabilitate mental disorders.

Often people turn to a psychiatrist to provide assistance in connection with an existing congenital pathology or hereditary disease. In addition to manifestation congenital anomalies, a psychiatrist who works with children, is faced with ailments and abnormalities acquired during the child’s growth. The cause of many problems is the upbringing of children, which often leads to the most serious violations in adolescence. Parents often come to see a psychiatrist when they realize that their child is suffering from developmental delays. The real reason pathologies may be changes in the body that occur during a transition period or lie in something completely different, but only a specialist can establish this.

By the nature of his activity, the doctor advises parents and teachers on issues of education, as well as the creation favorable environment in the family and children's group. In addition, a child psychiatrist deals with issues of referring the child to a specialized kindergarten or educational institution, determines whether the child should study individually, who needs an exemption from exams, and who needs to register a disability.

Stigmatization

Advice to take your child to a child psychiatrist is perceived by many parents as a personal insult. There are several explanations for this circumstance.

In our culture, mental disorders are still associated with something “indecent”; it is believed that a child suffering from mental illness is not born in a normal family. mental illness, so parents long years may be haunted by feelings of guilt and personal inadequacy. This phenomenon is called stigmatization (“stigmatization” is a negative social consequence of the diagnosis of a mental illness, associated with the stereotype that has developed in society to perceive it as shameful, rejecting, discriminatory).

I can say with full responsibility that mental disorders in children occur in the most different families and there are many reasons for the occurrence of such disorders, some of them are still unknown to science.

Reasons for contacting a child psychiatrist

What should parents be wary of in their child’s condition when it makes sense to contact a child psychiatrist?

IN early age - general nervousness (irritability, excitability, decreased appetite, restlessness, tendency to causeless temperature fluctuations).

In preschool and early childhood school age - hyperactivity (after 3 years), lethargy, persistent monotonous games, especially with non-playing objects (with strings, sticks), obsessively repetitive movements or actions, pathological habits (biting nails, pulling out hair, irritation of the genitals, rocking before bedtime, excessive tendency to fantasize (when a child transforms into an image and does not come out of it for a long time), speech retardation, mental development, daytime or nighttime (after 6 years) urinary and fecal incontinence (in the absence of spinal cord damage and urological diseases), stuttering, persistent recurring fears during the day and night, sleepwalking, sleep-talking, disruption of the development of school skills.

During adolescence- behavioral disorders (aggressiveness, cruelty, tendency to withdraw and wander, suicidal statements, hatred of loved ones, isolation), persistent restriction of food intake with the desire to lose weight, painful attitude towards a real minor physical defect (excessive fixation on it), excessive one-sided hobbies, which spend most of their time to the detriment of study and communication.

How should you prepare for a visit to a child psychiatrist?

Try not to focus your child's attention on this consultation. If possible, he should feel calm and confident.

What happens at an appointment with a child psychiatrist?

1. The doctor will listen to complaints, ask about previous diseases and lifestyle.
2. Conduct a conversation with the child and analyze the child’s condition, the development of the disease and its possible causes.
3. Appoint drug treatment, or will refer you to a clinical psychologist for psychocorrectional work and give recommendations on lifestyle.
4. Solve the necessary social issues: referral to a specialized kindergarten or school, transfer of the child to individual education, exemption from school exams, registration of disability.

What additional examinations can a child psychiatrist prescribe?

1. Electroencephalography (EEG).
2. Ultrasound examination of the brain.
3. CT scan brain
4. Consultations with other specialists.

Myths about psychiatry

Myth 1: Psychiatrist, psychotherapist and psychologist are one and the same thing

Psychologist is not medical specialty, he is engaged in psychodiagnosis and psychocorrection, but does not prescribe treatment. Psychologists working in schools are, as a rule, educational psychologists who work with healthy children. And only clinical psychologists trained in medical universities, have an idea about mental pathology and how to work with it. A psychiatrist is a doctor who diagnoses psychiatric diagnosis, assigns the necessary additional examination and treatment. A psychotherapist is a psychiatrist who has specialized in psychotherapy. He's doing non-drug treatment mental pathology - special methods affects the psyche, and through the psyche - the entire body.

Myth 2: If you go to a psychiatrist, you will definitely be “registered.”

In our country, according to the “Law on psychiatric care“Contacting a psychiatrist is a purely voluntary matter. Examination, observation, and treatment of a child under 15 years of age are carried out only with the consent of his legal representatives (parents, guardians), and from 15 years of age - with the consent of the teenager himself. An examination, observation, or treatment may be involuntary if the child is dangerous to himself or others, but this requires a court decision, which is made on the basis of the arguments of a psychiatrist.

After examining the child and identifying problems, the child psychiatrist explains to parents the need for certain measures:
for psychological problems or those related to improper upbringing in the family, refers to a psychologist or psychotherapist;
in case of unexpressed mental pathology, that is, neuroses, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, he is taken under supervision in an advisory group, that is, parents apply for an appointment as needed; if they do not apply within a year, then they are removed from observation; outpatient card goes to the archive;
in case of chronic mental disorders with severe frequent exacerbations, the child is taken under dispensary observation- he needs regular doctor's examinations and treatment.

Parents may refuse mental health care for their child by writing a written refusal.

Myth 3: If you go to a psychiatrist once with a child, they will find out about it in kindergarten, school, or at work.

According to the same “Law on Psychiatric Care”, information about treatment or observation is not disseminated - they are medical secrets protected by law. A psychiatrist can only give information legal representatives child, investigative authorities or court at their request.

Myth 4: If you went to a psychiatrist as a child, then when the child grows up, he will not be allowed to drive a car, will not sign a work permit, and will not be considered fit for military service.

If a person was observed by a psychiatrist as a child, and then was removed from observation, the outpatient card is kept in the archive for 25 years. When he comes to the commission to obtain a driver’s license or to work, then, as a rule, “childhood” diagnoses are not a contraindication either for driving a car, or for getting a job, or for serving in the army.

N.B. If a parent has doubts - this is an illness or a deviation, if there are no longer enough resources to help the child, of course, it is better to seek qualified help. Caring for the well-being and health of the child is most important.

It happens that violations of children's behavior are not deviations at all, although they look like something terrible and wrong.

Oleg Roy, a writer, and not a psychologist or psychiatrist, said: “Very often, children’s restlessness, disobedience and desire to break rules are nothing more than an unconscious cry for help, an inept attempt to interest themselves, attract attention and get at least a drop of care and the warmth that they so lack.”

A reason to think.

Voronov Vitaly Andreevich - h Av. Department No. 1 of the Vologda Regional Psychoneurological Dispensary No. 1, psychiatrist, forensic psychiatric expert, consultant of the Family Counseling and Family Therapy Service charitable foundation"The Road to Home"

A child psychiatrist is a specialist whose responsibilities include diagnosing, treating and preventing mental disorders in young patients. The main task of the doctor is the social adaptation of the child and the preservation of his personality.

Contact for professional help necessary when the first warning signs appear in children, because the success of subsequent therapy largely depends on timely diagnosis and the start of a treatment course.

What are the features of a specialist’s work?

The competence of a child psychiatrist includes different kinds mental illness, psychoneurological disorders in young patients. This specialist has a higher medical education and has knowledge in the field of child psychiatry. Therapy is developed individually, taking into account not only the diagnosis, but also age category, personal characteristics of the little patient.

In addition to treating mental disorders, the responsibilities of a child psychiatrist include developing preventive measures aimed at preventing progression pathological processes, exacerbation of diseases, formation of a harmonious, complete developed personality baby.

What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychotherapist?

The main difference between a child psychiatrist and a psychologist is the presence of a higher medical education. In addition, the doctor makes a diagnosis, conducts treatment course using modern techniques including drug therapy.

The responsibilities of a child psychologist include resolving emotional and behavioral conflicts, assisting in social adaptation and personal development, and conducting various trainings. But this specialist does not treat mental disorders.

If you suspect serious pathologies a psychologist can guide little patient to a child psychiatrist for diagnosis and development optimal methods treatment.

A psychotherapist is a specialist who works primarily on a private basis. To combat mental disorders, the doctor uses exclusively psychotherapy methods, without medicines and hospitalization.

Therefore, when a baby develops serious violations in mental development, it is best to contact a child psychiatrist, due to higher qualifications and a wide range of treatment methods used.

What diseases does the doctor treat?

The specialization of a child psychiatrist includes the following types of mental disorders in young patients:

• mental retardation;
• behavioral disorders;
• depressive states;
• schizophrenia;
• epileptic syndrome;
• phobias;
• obsessive states, hallucinations;
• eating disorders(bulimia, anorexia);
• affective insanity;
• sleep disorders;
• disorders of thinking, memory, worldview;
• neuroses, psychosis, psychopathy, neurasthenia;
• hypochondria.

Data pathological conditions can be corrected with timely consultation with a psychiatrist.

An unscheduled consultation of a child with a child psychiatrist is necessary if the following warning signs occur:

• fears, unreasonable increased anxiety, nervousness;
• seizures;
• manifestations of hysteria, attacks of aggression;
• lack of appetite or, conversely, heightened feeling hunger;
• persistent insomnia or excessive sleepiness;
• suicide attempts;
• problems in communicating with parents, teachers, peers;
• mental delays and speech development;
• pathological fantasies, not perception real events;
• inability to remember new information;
• stuttering due to psycho-emotional shock;
• enuresis and encopresis (incontinence of urine and feces).

If a child exhibits at least one of the symptoms listed above, it is necessary to take him to see a doctor. Timely appeal to a psychiatrist will avoid numerous complications, further pathological changes in the child’s psyche and will increase the effectiveness of treatment.

IN mandatory children visit a psychiatrist before entering first grade.

Diagnostic methods

An appointment with a child psychiatrist begins with a survey of the little patient, his parents, a study of the presenting symptoms, and the results of the collected history, including family history.

For the purpose of setting accurate diagnosis and development of competent treatment, the patient may be prescribed the following types of additional studies:

• electroencephalography;
• computer, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, spinal cord;
• scanning cerebral vessels;
• ultrasound examination brain.

In addition, the psychiatrist may refer the child to other specialized specialists for consultation and to identify the causes of the mental disorder.

Therapy methods

Treatment of mental disorders in children is carried out according to individual scheme taking into account the diagnosis, age characteristics child. In most cases, therapy is offered on an outpatient basis. Hospitalization is required in cases where the child needs constant care, specialist supervision, or certain conditions that cannot be provided at home.

In the fight against mental illness In young patients, child psychiatrists place special emphasis on working with the child’s psycho-emotional state. In this regard, psychotherapeutic techniques provide excellent results.

In some cases a course is required drug therapy. All medications must be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, strictly following the dosage regimen and recommended dosage.

Much attention is paid to personal development and social adaptation of children with mental disorders. Therefore, child psychiatrists are engaged in correcting the lifestyle of young patients and carry out separate work with their parents.

It is important to understand that psychiatric treatment of children is carried out only with the consent of the parents, and when the patient reaches 15 years of age - with the consent of the patient himself.

Modern specialists do not force a child to register; parents can always refuse hospitalization. In addition, treatment psychiatric diseases It is carried out anonymously and requires the observance of medical confidentiality. Therefore, there is no need to worry that if parents take their child to a psychiatrist, they will find out about it. kindergarten or school.

Experts in the field of child psychiatry emphasize that a child’s personality is formed during the first 3 years of his life. During this period, it is important to communicate as much as possible with the baby and devote maximum time to his development.

After reaching three years old You need to give the child the right to choose, a certain amount of freedom. Great importance For the full personal development of the baby, both mother and father play an equal part in the educational process. Application different approaches education teaches the child thinking and self-analysis.