ANADOLU PSIKIYATRI DERGISI-ANATOLIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, vol.10, no.3, pp.217-225, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: Psychopathology and functional impairment were frequently determined in children with psychical disease. There are limitations about requirement of treatment needs of these patients in our country and the world. We aimed to investigate assessment and follow-up period of child patients who were treated in various inpatient units of Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine (DEUSM). Methods: The assessment findings of patients, who were consulted at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the DEUSM, were saved in their semi-structured consultation forms. The consultation demands in 2006 were assessed retrospectively. The data about which units demanded consultation; consultation reasons, patients' physical and mental diagnoses, psychiatric treatments and follow-up period were investigated. Results: Psychiatric consultations were demanded for 109 (2.3%) child and adolescent patients who were treated in inpatient units for one-year period. The children consulted were primarily females (59.6%) and in the 12 or older age group (52.3%). Most prominent consultation reason was found as depressive appearance (30.3%). At least one psychiatric disorder was determined in 81.7% of patients. Most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were found as adjustment disorder (24.8%). Psychotropic medications were prescribed for 38.5 percent of cases. Twenty-nine (39.2%) of 74 patients who were referred to outpatient treatment were admitted to child psychiatry outpatient clinic. Conclusion: In this study, the high rates of psychopathology were found in children and adolescents who were demanded psychiatric consultation during their treatment in inpatient units. It was thought that there is a need for more collaboration with children's inpatient units in order to provide more effective psychiatric consultation services. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2009; 10:217-225)