Psychiatric services for preschoolers: an emerging need

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Mental Health

Background:

• Specialized child and adolescent psychiatry units receive referrals for young children.
• Understanding the clinical presentation and service needs of this age group is crucial for effective care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation of children under six years old referred to a specialized child and adolescent psychiatry unit.
• To identify the service requirements for this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of preschoolers (≤6 years) assessed between January 2006 and December 2010.
• Analysis of predominant diagnoses, prevalence, and correlations between diagnoses and clinical variables using Fischer's exact test and chi-square test.

Main Results:

• The study included 149 subjects, with males predominating (77.2%).
• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was the most common diagnosis (52.8%). Girls commonly presented with anxiety disorders and reactive attachment disorder (RAD), while boys presented with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD).
• High rates of psychometric testing (68.5%), pharmacological intervention (46.3%), and defaulting after initial assessment (42.1%) were observed.

Conclusions:

• Psychiatric illness is prevalent in young children referred to specialized services.
• The vulnerability of this age group and limited sub-specialist resources necessitate the development of community services for early recognition and intervention.