ABSTRACT
This chapter explores case histories based on child and adolescent psychiatry. Children with psychological problems are dependent on others, such as parents or teachers, to recognise their distress and arrange help for them. It is likely that much of this psychological distress is overlooked. Child psychiatrists differ in their practice from adult psychiatrists in three ways. Firstly, they must take into account the developmental stage that the child has reached. Secondly, the family and their stage in the family life cycle must be considered. Finally, child psychiatrists tend to rely on psychological methods of treatment rather than physical methods. Some disorders may occur in children in forms that are similar to those in adults, example, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but generally diagnoses in child psychiatry are less precise and are often formulated in terms of family or other problems. Mental health problems in children are known somehow to be linked to socioeconomic factors.
