Pediatric Neuropsychiatry

Book excerpt: Adult neuropsychiatry is now a well-established field with numerous reputable references. Practitioners who work with children routinely note how references and practitioners knowledgeable in the equivalent work in the pediatric world are rare. Child psychiatrists and neurologists frequently work with individuals struggling with these conditions and would strongly benefit from such a reference that incorporates medical work-up, psychopharmacological recommendations, family/support recommendations and theoretical pathophysiology. Pediatricians and developmental pediatricians often treat children with behavioral and neuropsychiatric sequelae, but are not well-trained in the neuropsychiatric management of these cases. Neuropsychologists and educational psychologists working with children and adults with pediatric-onset conditions will also find the text helpful to contextualize their cases, better-understand the medical evaluation and management and perhaps adjust recommendations that would supplement their own testing methods. Finally, sub-specialists in adult neurology, psychiatry and neuropsychiatry often find themselves working with these children by default as there are few pediatric subspecialists who are available to accept them into practice. When facing complex neuropsychiatric illness in children, many clinicians are stymied because they may have “never seen a case like that”. This text fills the wide gap that currently exists and helps move this field forward. The approach utilized in adult neuropsychiatry that is both clear and accessible does not yet have an equivalent in the pediatric realm, but there is tremendous interest in its development. Children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric conditions are very common and they and their caregivers often struggle to find professionals well educated in this field. Ultimately, a wide range of clinicians will find this text to be a very helpful resource for diagnosis and management in the spectrum of pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions. The case-based approach is also unique with respect to neuropsychiatric approaches, and the clear cut, reader-friendly approach of such a format would likely be well-received among physicians looking for a resource on this issue.