Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Interview
Primer
The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Interview is a specialized psychiatric interview tailored to children and adolescents. It requires a particular focus on psychosocial factors.
Timeline of Childhood Disorders
When doing a child and adolescent assessment, it is very important to keep in mind the age of the child, and the likelihood disorders occurring at that particular age.
Fig. 1
Patient ID
Age
Home/Living with
Grade/School
Part time jobs
Religious affiliation
History of Presenting Illness (HPI)
Depression
Depression
Don't forget to ask about irritability, which is common in children and adolescents
When asking about appetite and weight, also ask about body image and intentional weight loss to screen for eating disorders
Anxiety and Panic
Anxiety symptoms and disorders are common in children, and are often part of the normal neurodevelopmental history.
Psychosis
Mania
Childhood bipolar disorder is overdiagnosed.
OCD
OCD can present commonly in childhood.
ADHD
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Loses temper
Argues with adults
Defies or refuses
Deliberately annoys
Blames others
Touchy or easily annoyed
Angry and resentful
Spiteful
Eating Disorders
It is important to screen for eating disorders in children and adolescents, as there high prevalence and high mortality with eating disorders.
Safety
Social History
In the social history, you need to get an understanding of the child's relationship with their family, school, friends, extracurricular activities, and any ongoing stressors.
School
Social
Home
Self
Legal History
Neurodevelopmental History
Age of parents at conception
Illnesses in pregnancy
Substance use during pregnancy
Toxin exposure
Birth term
Delivery complications
Growth charts
Developmental Milestones
What is the child/adolescent’s strengths?
Medical
History of seizures, recurrent infections, easy bruising/blood clots, tumours/growth, muscle pains/arthritis, or any other diagnosed medical conditions
Hearing, vision, or cardiac problems
Pubertal History
Family History
Psychiatric (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, completed suicide/suicide attempt)
Seizures/epilepsy
Birth defects
Infertility
Known genetic conditions
Sudden Unexplained Deaths (SIDS?)
Congenital Cardiac Malformations?
Resources