What is Child Psychiatry?
A child psychiatrist is a psychiatric doctor who specialises in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating mental health disorders in children. They are qualified to prescribe medication and to work closely with other health professionals to ensure the child receives complete treatment. Child psychiatrists work in clinics or hospitals and have their spaces thoughtfully designed to be child-friendly—with toys, colouring books, blackboards, chalk, paints, and child-friendly and child-safe furniture.
Common Mental Health Issues in Children
A few commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in children are:
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – A neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it difficult to stay focused on a task and causes inattention and hyperactivity in children.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – A type of neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a child’s social development. It affects how they learn, communicate, behave, and interact with others.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) – A behavioural disorder that makes children uncooperative, defiant, aggressive, and hostile towards figures of authority.
Learning Disorder – Learning Disorders such as Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and most commonly Dyslexia are conditions that are usually diagnosed among children. These conditions affect learning, understanding, and logical reasoning in children.
Anxiety and Depressive Disorders – Going through changes during childhood can be a challenging experience and dealing with the societal pressure to fit in can add to that feeling, leading to Anxiety and depressive disorders.
Recognising Signs of Mental Health Issues
Child psychiatrists specialise in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders of children and adolescents. Early intervention is important because it helps children develop healthy coping skills, improve emotional wellness, and achieve academic and social success. The best child psychiatrists in Delhi and NCR are dedicated to early intervention, providing specialised care that supports a child’s long-term development and overall well-being.
Benefits of Early Psychiatric Consultation
Consulting a psychiatrist early can help prevent mental health conditions from worsening, or even prevent or treat the mental health condition itself. In the case of children and neurodevelopmental conditions such as ASD, treatment must start as soon as possible. Humans are the most malleable at their youngest. Starting treatment early ensures that the child learns how to adapt to their disorder from an early age, helping them lead healthier and adjusted lives later in their adulthood.
At BetterPlace, in the East of Kailash, New Delhi, we strive to be your comprehensive, end-to-end solution for your mental health. We make sure your child receives the best care using our combined care approach—where our psychologists and psychiatrists collaborate to give them the most complete treatment and ensure that they feel better faster and experience significant long-term improvements.
Qualifications and Experience
Ensure the psychiatrist is certified, and has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in psychiatry. Check their education and training, and if they are a member of any professional associations. They should be registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC). An experienced psychiatrist will understand child and adolescent mental illness and be able to treat complex cases.
Specialisations
Choose a psychiatrist with expertise in your child’s specific mental health needs. Experience enables the specialist to provide an accurate diagnosis and create a treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. They are also well-versed in potential complications caused by the child’s illness and can promptly address any crisis.
Accessibility and Affordability
Check the clinic’s location and make sure it is easy to get to, and that its operating hours fit your schedule. In addition, check the psychiatrist’s fees and payment plans to ensure that the care you receive is high quality and within your budget.
Communication and Rapport
Find a psychiatrist who is a good communicator, an attentive listener, and someone who can build trust with both you and your child. A strong therapeutic relationship helps your child open up and makes you feel at ease, which leads to better outcomes.
Recommendations and Reviews
Ask for a recommendation from a trusted source such as your child’s school counsellor, paediatrician, or a friend. You can also find valuable information on online portals such as Practo, Google Reviews, Just Dial, etc. Online reviews and patient testimonials can provide valuable insight into the reputation of the psychiatrist, the satisfaction of the patients, and the overall effectiveness of the psychiatrist and their treatment approach. Consistently positive feedback is a good sign and indicates reliability and good quality of care.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy helps your child understand and manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours through guided interactions and activities. It provides a safe space where children can express their feelings, learn coping skills, and build emotional resilience.
Medication Management
In some cases, medication can be a useful tool for managing mental health conditions effectively in children. Psychiatrists carefully prescribe and monitor medications, adjusting dosages if needed to ensure safety and positive results.
Family Involvement
The involvement of the family is crucial for effective treatment. Mental health professionals work closely with parents and caregivers to guide them on managing their children’s behavioural issues, create a supportive home environment, and participate in family therapy to improve overall results.
Consultant Psychiatrist, MD Psychiatry
Therapy Mode Online, In-person
Languages Hindi, English
Senior Consultant Psychiatrist
Therapy Mode Online, In-person
Languages Hindi, English
Child Psychiatrist in Delhi at BetterPlace are highly trained mental health professionals who have successfully treated over 50,000 patients with a range of conditions.
We pride ourselves on our diagnostic capabilities and follow strict protocols when prescribing assessments. Our doctors take a detailed case history from your child to decide if examinations are necessary. The decision to proceed with them is entirely up to you.
Knowledge is empowerment, and we are here to help you with that. We educate you and your child on their specific issues so that you understand everything about their condition and can help them succeed in life.
The benefit of operating from a hospital is that we can collaborate with other healthcare professionals and specialists from different fields. We integrate this into our treatment approach to help you get better, faster.
Our approach does not just stop at medication and therapy. We also build treatment plans that include various therapies, lifestyle changes, and support services for your long-term recovery.
When visiting BetterPlace, you can expect a welcoming environment where there is 0% judgement.
Meet with both a psychologist and a psychiatrist
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For guidance, talk to your mental health care provider. Psychiatrists and psychologists are both mental health professionals, however, the important difference is that psychiatrists focus more on evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management, whereas, psychologists focus more on providing therapy. Both work together to provide comprehensive mental health care for your child.
Treatment duration varies depending on the child’s diagnosis, treatment plan, and response to therapy or medication. It can range from a few months to a longer-term arrangement.
Absolutely! Therapy, behavioural interventions, and family support can all help to improve several conditions. Doctors usually consider medication when symptoms are severe or when other treatments haven’t made much of a difference.
The first consultation involves gathering information about your child’s medical, emotional, and developmental history. The psychiatrist will create a detailed case history that includes your child’s family history, past illnesses, and symptoms they have been experiencing. The psychiatrist may also conduct additional assessments and recommend a tailored treatment plan.
Medications prescribed by child psychiatrists generally don’t have any severe side effects. Although in the rare cases they do, your psychiatrist will keep a close track of your child’s medications and adjust the dosage or prescription accordingly.
Creating a Supportive Environment: You can create a safe and nurturing environment for your children by communicating openly, showing empathy, and building trust. Provide positive reinforcement by praising good behaviour and being patient when they make mistakes.
Collaborating with Schools: Work closely with your child’s teachers, school counsellors, and administrators to address their educational and emotional needs. Ensure your child receives consistent support at home and school by consistently communicating with the school staff.
Utilising Community Resources: Local support groups are a great way to promote peer-to-peer interaction and create a community. Children can often feel isolated due to their mental health disorder and support groups act as an additional resource. Children can learn coping strategies with each other, share their insights, learning, and experiences, and thrive in a judgement-free environment.
If you’re looking for a psychiatrist in Delhi, there are many specialists available for different mental health needs. Experienced psychiatrists in South Delhi offer tailored treatments if you’re seeking mental health care in specific areas like Delhi NCR.
If you’re struggling with persistent sadness, stress, or overwhelming worry, a psychiatrist for depression and anxiety in Delhi can help you find the right treatment approach, which could include therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
As a female client, you may feel more comfortable consulting a female psychiatrist in Delhi, especially when discussing sensitive topics like trauma or reproductive health. A child psychiatrist in Delhi specialises in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions in children and adolescents, helping them navigate emotional and developmental challenges.