Most children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral problems need a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations usually require several hours over one or more office visits for the child, parents and family. The child and adolescent psychiatrist then develops a formulation. The formulation describes the child's problems and explains them in terms that the parents and child can understand. Biological, psychological and social parts of the problem are combined in the formulation with the developmental needs, history and strengths of the child or adolescent.
Time is made available to answer the parents' and child's questions.
Parents are often worried about how they will be viewed during the evaluation. The child and adolescent psychiatrist is there to support the family and to be a partner, not to judge or blame. Parents should always ask for explanations of words or terms they do not understand. When a treatable problem is identified, recommendations are provided and a specific treatment plan is developed. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are specifically trained and skilled in conducting comprehensive psychiatric evaluations with children, adolescents and families.