Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Seeking support from a psychiatrist can provide your child with:

• Early identification: Early identification and accurate diagnoses for mental health difficulties, as well as intervention and personalised treatment plans.
• Support plans: Support for emotional regulation and behavioural challenges. Medication assessment and management where appropriate, as well as specialist support for any neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Symptom improvement: Improved school attendance and academic functioning, plus better family communication and relationships.
• Long-term support: Practical strategies for parents and carers, and long-term support to improve wellbeing and development.

Early intervention can make a big difference for your childand there are several early signs that shouldn’t be ignored. Some of the symptoms that your child may benefit from psychiatric assessment or care include:

• Persistent sadness, low mood or withdrawal
• Excessive anxiety or worries
• Emotional outbursts or behavioural changes
• Sleep difficulties or nightmares
• School refusal or declining academic performance
• Social withdrawal or friendship difficulties
• Obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours
• Sensory sensitivities or developmental concerns

We provide assessment and treatment for a broad range of child and adolescent mental health conditions, including:

• Anxiety disorders, depression and low mod
• ADHD, ASD (autism) and neurodevelopmental assessments
• School refusal and emotionally-based school avoidance
• Bipolar disorder and mood instability
• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• PTSD and trauma-related difficulties
• Behavioural and emotional regulation difficulties
• Eating disorders and sleep difficulties
• Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
• Social anxiety and friendship difficulties
• Panic attacks and mood disorders
• Tics and Tourettes syndrome
• Gender identity and emotional wellbeing support
• Stress and burnout in adolescents
• Family and relationship difficulties