VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Tomasz Nęcki

There is no need to convince anyone that more and more children need a psychiatrist's help. It is often mentioned in various media how many young patients are currently struggling with mental disorders. Some of them may receive care in mental he alth clinics, but some may be in such a state that they require treatment in a hospital. When does a child require a stay in a psychiatric hospital?

The reform of Polish child psychiatry is an ongoing process that is likely to continue for a long time to come. Currently, attention is drawn to the need to build a stable, extensive system of community treatment - primarily outpatient clinics and day wards where children and their relatives could get help as soon as possible.

Right now, the first place many children with mental disorders end up in 24/7 psychiatric hospitals. The reason for this is partly the fact that getting an appointment to a child psychiatrist in many parts of the country is almost a miracle - the waiting time may be several months. This is why many children fall into such a bad condition that they require treatment in a stationary setting. Although it is downright scary for many parents, sometimes a child's stay in a psychiatric hospital becomes a necessity.

When is a child admitted to a psychiatric facility on an elective and emergency basis?

Patients are admitted to psychiatric hospitals, as well as to other facilities, in two modes: planned and emergency. Scheduled receptions may serve, among others, for diagnostic purposes, e.g. conducting detailed diagnostics for autism spectrum disorders or performing a series of tests (psychological, imaging) in a patient with suspected schizophrenia.

In an ideal world, patients would be treated in mental he alth clinics and hospitalized when treatment was unsuccessful or there were doubts about their diagnosis.

In the current reality, unfortunately, it is different: the scheduled admission usually takes many months, the fault of which is too few psychiatric hospitals for children. Additionally, they arethey are overcrowded due to the fact that patients come to them primarily in an emergency.

Sudden admission to a psychiatric hospital usually takes place when a patient threatens his or her own life or the he alth of others. It is worth adding here that the patient should consent to being admitted to the hospital.

In the case of children under the age of 16, consent is given by the legal guardian. Then, when a teenager over the age of 16 is admitted, consent is given by both him and his guardian.

An important aspect here, however, is that in the event of a threat to life, the patient may be admitted to the hospital without the consent of his or her guardian - then the family court is informed about the situation.

Child in a mental institution: suicidal thoughts and intentions

One of the main reasons for the emergency admission of children to the hospital is suicide. A child requires hospitalization when he openly declares that he intends to take his own life. Convincing about such a willingness can, inter alia, that it collects drugs in order to abuse them later, or that it prepares items that could hang itself.

Surprisingly, the term suicidal intent is used above, and no suicidal ideation is mentioned. This is not a mistake - the presence of temporary, periodic thoughts of suicide alone is not a direct indication for hospitalization.

This may seem quite surprising, but in practice - due to the fact that psychiatric hospitals usually lack places for children - hospitals admit those patients who absolutely require it.

Child in a mental institution: psychotic disorders

A stay in a psychiatric hospital may require a child with symptoms suggesting psychotic disorders. Such can be, among others intensified auditory hallucinations in the form of voices that encourage the young patient to commit suicide or commit self-mutilation.

Some children tell other people that they sometimes hear or see something, but others are simply much more secretive or do not tell anyone about their problems because voices forbid them to do so. However, there are some signs that a child may have a psychotic disorder.

The most important thing for the caregivers' attention should be a sudden change in the child's behavior. Withdrawal from reports, collecting unusual items or uttering bizarre content (e.g. that famous people direct some of their recordings presented on the web to him) are just some of the signals that shouldbother.

Avoid eating meals (e.g. because of fear that they may be poisoned) or eating non-food items (e.g. paper or raw flour).

Patients with suspected psychotic disorders may require hospitalization, especially when they have no insight into the disease (i.e. they are convinced that they are okay) and therefore, for example, refuse to take medications recommended by a psychiatrist.

Child in a mental institution: increased aggressive behavior

For various reasons, children sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior, but sometimes it becomes so intense that the parents are simply unable to cope with it. Thus, hospitalization may be required by children who constantly attack members of their family, deliberately destroy various objects or harm animals.

As mentioned above, the causes of aggression in children can be different, some disturbing behaviors may occur, e.g. in patients with ADHD, intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorders.

It happens that young patients are aggressive, e.g. because of domestic violence, but most of all children who display aggressive behavior for no reason require a stay in hospital.

Child in a mental institution: eating disorders

Children with eating disorders are hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals, especially those struggling with anorexia.

They are usually initially treated as outpatients, but when this is not successful, or when the patient refuses to eat completely or is constantly exercising, inpatient treatment may become necessary.

It is worth mentioning one important aspect here: sometimes patients with eating disorders should be treated in facilities other than a psychiatric hospital. We are talking about children who have an extremely low body weight or who have experienced complications of eating disorders, such as, for example, bradycardia (i.e. a slow heart rate).

Psychiatrically hospitalized children should be in a stable somatic condition - for this reason, some patients with eating disorders are initially treated in pediatric wards.

How to avoid hospitalization of a child?

Many parents are afraid of the psychiatric hospitalization of their child - rightly so, because it happens that children, e.g. learn from each other various negative behaviors (e.g. methods of showing self-harm).

Then, however, when due tolife-threatening, a stay in a hospital is necessary, there is nothing to think about - it is only possible to undertake actions that will prevent the child from ending up in a psychiatric institution.

Parents should always pay attention to their children and react as soon as possible when they notice any disturbing signals. Long-term depressed mood, changing eating habits, displaying bizarre behavior, but also self-harming, changing the circadian rhythm or increased irritability - these are only examples of problems that require consultation with a specialist.

It can be difficult for caregivers to distinguish between the difficulties of growing up and the manifestations of mental disorders. For this reason, even more so when in doubt, you should go to people who deal with mental he alth care. Initially, you can go to a psychologist, you can also visit a child psychiatrist.

The waiting time for an appointment with a specialist can be long, so it is best to start working as soon as possible and as soon as the parent notices the first disturbing symptoms, he should start looking for appropriate centers and specialists. Early intervention may prevent the child from going to a psychiatric hospital.

Category:

Psychiatry