Mental health articles

Adult Psychiatrist Perspective Children are “invisible” to mental health professionals who provide care to adults. Adult psychiatrists feel unsure and untrained and therefore vulnerable that they may miss problems and incompetent to intervene. Additionally, adult psychiatric clinics are usually not set up to interface with child clinics and may lack a smooth referral process. For all these reasons, the reproductive activities of adult patients with mental illness are not acknowledged by either the patient who is a parent, or the adult psychiatrist. If a patient is pregnant, she may decide to drop out of treatment, or stop her medications, rather than ask her psychiatrist about parenting and mental illness. It is important to convene a family meeting as soon as possible after accepting a new patient. The definition of family should be broad and defined by the patient. The role of others in child-rearing must be considered, for example othermothers, and invited into the family meeting.Othermothers are women who co-parent children that are their romantic partner’s children from previous or current relationships. Include children as soon as possible, in the outpatient and inpatient setting.When you meet with the family, reassure the patient that you would like to meet their children. Offer a simple explanation such as your children might like to ask me questions or at least meet your doctor. When the children are present, tailor your comments to the developmental age of child. Statements like “Your mother has an illness that affects her thinking and feelings” can help a young child begin to understand what is going on. It is important to let them know that “She loves you just the same.” Young children worry about their own care and you can reassure them that “Your father and your aunt will take care of you until she is better.” It is important to give them a time frame, “That might be in 2–3 weeks.”

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