Adolescent Psychiatry - Volume 9, Issue 2, 2019

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a major public health concern with medical, psychiatric, and social implications. Within this population, there is an elevated rate of co-occurring psychiatric conditions including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, suicidality, and substance use. However, little is known about the assessment and treatment of adolescent pregnancy within the context of these co-occurring psychiatric conditions, Read More

Background: Increasingly, adolescents are presented to hospital emergency departments with suicidal ideation (SI) and depression. Even among those who come in with other complaints, depression and SI are common. Emergency personnel are placed in the default position of providing care for these patients, but often lack sufficient knowledge and skills to do this effectively. Objective: The aim of this pape is to offer guidance Read More

Background and Goals: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common presenting issue mental health providers experience in all levels of care from outpatient clinics to inpatient units. It is common among adolescents seen in emergency settings, either as a presenting problem or as a covert condition that may not be detected unless specifically assessed for. The presence of NSSI increases the risk of suicide. This article aims t Read More

Background: Child and adolescent psychiatrists and clinicians often assess individuals who present with homicidal and violent thoughts. These assessments are critical, for patient safety and societal protection. The psychiatrist must ultimately decide if the patient can return to the community safely, regardless if the patient has initially presented to inpatient, outpatient, emergency room or school settings. While the Read More

Background and Aims: It is fairly common for adolescents with a presenting problem of acute agitation to present to the Emergency Department. These patients present challenges with respect to both differential diagnosis and management. Furthermore, with many adolescents having extended stays in emergency departments, it is important for ED physicians to have a basic familiarity with diagnosis and treatment. Me Read More

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have similar sexual desires and relationship needs to their neuro-typical peers. However, they may be more likely to demonstrate problematic sexual behaviors as they mature, due to lack of education about sexuality, vulnerability to sexual abuse, deficits in social communication and understanding, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors, and sensory interests. Trea Read More

Aims and Scope: Eating disorders commonly present during the adolescent and young adult years, and are complex in that they are a group of psychiatric diagnoses with medical complications. Methods: The diagnosis of an eating disorder can often go undetected while a patient is being evaluated for organic causes of weight loss. Anorexia nervosa, in particular, has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis. I Read More

Background: Adolescent substance use is a dynamic public health problem. Adolescence is a unique developmental period involving overlapping biological, psychological, and social factors which increase the rates of initiation of substance use. The developing adolescent brain is particularly susceptible to the effects of substances and most adults with substance use disorders began to have symptoms and problems in their ad Read More

Background & Aims: The past few years have seen an increase in the number of children and adolescents presenting to emergency departments with mental health complaints, including, but not limited to, depression, suicidality, and substance use-related conditions. This places many demands on the emergency physicians ranging from evaluating medical stability (also known as medical clearance) to arranging for psy Read More