What subjects are in children’s mental health?

Under normal circumstances, the child psychology department is preferred. If the hospital you visit does not have a separate department, you can also choose the child psychiatry department or the child health department (psychological direction) according to the actual departments of the hospital. If the situation is particularly urgent, just go to the emergency channel.

A while ago, I met a parent who took his son, who had just entered second grade, to see him for attention problems. He didn't know what to do in the hospital in his hometown, so he checked into general pediatrics first. He took three blood tests to check for vitamins and trace elements, but no problems were found. After struggling for more than half a month, he was reminded by the teacher to go to the psychological clinic for child care. It didn't take long for him to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. After two months of intervention, he can now sit better in class, and his grades have improved by ten places.

In fact, many people are confused about which department to enroll in. The essence is that the degree of department segmentation in hospitals at different levels in China is quite different. For example, most of the specialized children's hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have separate child psychology departments, and the scope of treatment is comprehensive, ranging from children's adaptability problems such as chewing nails and being afraid of the dark to sleeping alone, to pathological problems such as depression, anxiety, tic disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. If the hospital near your home does not have such a detailed division, don’t panic. First, check the doctor profiles on the registration platform. As long as the doctor’s area of ​​expertise is marked as intervention for children and adolescents’ psychological, emotional and behavioral problems, whether it is under the psychiatry department or the child health department, you can feel free to apply. There is no need to stick to the name of the department.

If a child suddenly has serious thoughts of self-harm, or hears non-existent voices, or believes that someone is trying to harm him, etc., don't wait for a regular appointment and go directly to the hospital's emergency department. Whether it is a pediatric emergency or a psychiatric emergency, emergency treatment can be done first. After the child is stable, he can be transferred to the corresponding specialist for follow-up.

Many parents always think that "psychiatry" sounds scary, and are afraid of labeling their children, so they would rather take a long way to study other subjects. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. Children's psychological problems are just like slow growth, colds and fevers. They are all health problems that require professional intervention. Finding the right doctor is much more important than worrying about the name of the department.