title: Psychiatric consultations in pediatric inpatients.
abstract: Emotional problems are not uncommon in hospitalized children. The authors reviewed psychiatric consultations on a pediatric ward in a medical center and compared the findings with a non-pediatric group and the Western reports. Forty consultations were requested in a three-year period which represented 0.35% of all admissions to pediatric ward and 1.0% of all psychiatric consultations in that period. The consultation rate of the pediatric ward is significantly lower than that of the non-pediatric wards. The most common reason for the referrals was for the evaluation of possible psychopathogeneses from unexplained physical symptoms. A wide range of psychiatric diagnoses were found. Among them, adjustment disorders, anxiety or somatoform disorders, diagnosis deferred and no psychiatric diagnosis were the most commonly made. Pediatric patients had a similar percentage diagnosis of adjustment disorders compared with the non-pediatric group but far less organic mental disorders. Besides medication, psychological and family intervention were frequently recommended by the psychiatrists. These findings suggest that there were unique psychological characteristics in the hospitalized children which required specialists and further studies. It is hoped that increasing the collaboration between pediatricians and psychiatrists can improve the medical care of these sick children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Sim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006760:Hospitalization; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan