Present situation of child psychiatric care at general hospitals: How to treat a child outpatient by “not” a child psychiatrist

Abstract

At general hospital, very few psychiatrists can focus on the treatment of child psychiatry, and psychiatrists who are performing the treatment of adults must examine children, too. It is necessary that “not” child psychiatrists in general hospital should understand the characteristics of the child’s mental health care and make efforts accordingly, in order to provide mental health care for the children. There is a feature that children who require psychiatric treatment are receiving outpatient pediatric first. Cooperation should be taken well with the pediatrician. This paper addresses several problematic issues that occur when psychiatrists who usually examine adults examine children, and introduces ways to overcome said problems; 1) Child psychiatric practice in outpatient pediatrics, 2) Cooperation with clinical psychologists, 3) How to collect and put the materials to practical use, 4) Use of outside institutions.