title: Referring to a child psychiatrist.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Child psychiatry is a highly specialised practice and many general practitioners are uncertain how to manage a child who might require such intervention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides some guidelines regarding referral and ongoing collaboration, but it is important to remember that each child psychiatrist may have their own style of practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most child psychiatrists work with the range of childhood ages from primary and secondary school age children through to youth and early adulthood. It is essential that the GP take a medical history and examination before referral. Referral should be specific.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Victoria. afp@racgp.org.au
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: England
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012017:Referral and Consultation
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs