If your young child has any of the following signs, talk to your primary care physician, who can refer them for consultation if necessary:

• Frequent headaches or stomachaches with no known cause
• Frequent tantrums or mood swings
• Inability to sit quietly
• Lack of interest in playing with other kids or trouble making friends
• Sleep disturbances, such as sleeping too much or too little, or frequent nightmares
• Struggling academically or sudden drop in grades
• Talking often about worries or fears

For adolescents, signs include:

• Avoiding social activities
• Destructive behavior
• Drinking or using illegal drugs
• Excessive dieting or exercising
• Loss of interest in activities they enjoy
• Low energy
• Self-harm, such as burning or cutting
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Suicidal thoughts

Patients who are hospitalized for medical reasons can also receive planned or urgent consultation. Indicators include:

• Complex diagnostic problems
• Delirium or disruptive behavior interfering with medical treatment
• Suicidal behaviors
• Trouble coping with major or chronic medical illnesses, such as transplantation, cancer and cardiac surgery

Our child and adolescent mental health specialists treat a wide range of behavioral and mental health issues, including:

• Anxiety and anxiety disorders
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Behavior problems
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Outpatient treatment is recommended in most cases. Treatment can include:

• Individual psychotherapy. For children, psychotherapy/counseling includes teaching skills for the child to practice between sessions at home and tracking progress over time.
• Family therapy. Family members are often included in treatment so they can understand the child’s challenges and how relationships might be affected.
• Group therapy. Groups usually include young people of similar ages, giving them a chance to communicate and interact with each other in a safe environment.
• Medication. This may include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, stimulants or others.

These treatments can be combined based on the needs of each patient and family. We also provide parental training and guidance in behavior management as part of many treatment plans. This can help parents learn strategies for managing difficult behaviors and how to support their child.

We offer child and adolescent behavior and mental health services at several locations in Louisiana. Find a location near you.

Both psychiatrists and psychologists can provide psychotherapy, also called talk therapy. However, psychiatrists are medical doctors, while psychologists have doctoral degrees in psychology. Generally, psychologists treat patients through psychotherapy and behavioral therapy, while psychiatrists prescribe medications. At Ochsner, our team includes experienced child psychologists and psychiatrists.

If you believe your child needs a psychologist or psychiatrist, talk with your child’s pediatrician to see if they can recommend anyone. Many times, your pediatrician will already have a relationship with behavioral health experts and can recommend someone who meets your child’s needs. You can also speak with friends or family members who have needed behavioral health services for their child to get recommendations.