When something is wrong or you are concerned about your child, there is never a good reason not to consult a specialist (they will help to provide reassurance and a solution.)

A Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatrist is a physician who is familiar with the normal development of children and who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of problems that may arise throughout the process of maturation and growth.

A psychiatrist’s participation in the diagnosis helps to clarify what is normal and what is not, and can help to rule out anything physical that could be causing the problem (enuresis with a physical cause or problems of inattention caused by absence seizures, etc.) During this process, the specialist can determine whether it is necessary to carry out additional, complementary tests (brain imaging, blood or urine analysis, an electroencephalogram or genetic studies.)

The psychiatrist’s input in designing a treatment plan allows the parent to choose the best therapeutic option tailored to the needs of the child or adolescent: perhaps the assistance of an occupational therapist is required to improve motor skills, or individual psychotherapy to help resolve a harmful habit, or maybe a play group would be beneficial for social skills training.

In cases where medication is essential, the specialist will provide all the information the family needs to aid in making the decision to medicate or not, and will closely monitor its effectiveness. The specialist will determine a minimum, therapeutic dose and when medication should be terminated.

In SINEWS we are aware that children should, whenever possible, utilize their resources and strategies in order to solve their problems, and medication will never replace psychotherapy and the specific skills training necessary.

The childhood disorders that are most frequently diagnosed and treated in SINEWS are: ADHD, Depression and Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Tic disorders, Compulsions and other obsessive-compulsive symptoms.