Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry

Children and adolescents constitute almost a third (2·2 billion individuals) of the world’s population and almost 90% live in low and middle-income countries (LAMIC), where they form up to 50% of the population. Mental health problems affect 10–20% of children and adolescents worldwide. Half of the mental disorders are estimated to have onset by the age of 14 years. Early identification and treatment of these disorders can improve the outcome and prognosis of psychiatric illnesses. There is a huge burden of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) in Nepal which has a population of around 29 million and 40–50% of the population comprises of children and adolescents.

Services provided for child and adolescent mental health problems include the following:
– Assessment, diagnosis and interventions/treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Specific Learning Disorders, Intellectual Disability, Communication Disorders, Tic Disorders etc.
– Assessment of family, parenting styles with inputs for parenting and management of temper tantrums.
– Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of;
* Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, School refusal
* Trauma and Stress related disorders (Adjustment Disorders, Dissociative Disorders, Post traumatic Stress Disorder)
* Somatic symptom and related disorders
* Feeding and Eating Disorders (Pica, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder)
* Elimination Disorders (Enuresis, Encopresis)
* Gender Dysphoria
* Substance Related and Addictive Disorders
* Disruptive, Impulse Control and Conduct Disorders (ODD, Conduct Disorder)
* Severe mental illnesses (Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder)