Toddlers/preschool-ages children:

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Toddlers and preschool aged children may face mental health difficulties due to a variety of factors ranging from medical and developmental disorders to exposure to home stressors or trauma. Mental health problems for children under 5 may be evidenced by poor weight gain, delayed development, aggressive behavior, or sleep problems. Young children with mental health or social-emotional concerns may be difficult to console or they may express fear and distress in new or novel situations. Symptoms of depression and anxiety can begin to surface as early as infancy. Interventions geared to children under 5 typically do not include the individual child, but actively involves the parent or caregiver.

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School-aged children:

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Children and adolescents experience problems at home or at school for many reasons. They may be highly anxious and have difficulty separating from a parent. They may refuse to go to school or talk at school even when they are able to speak freely in other settings. They may find it difficult to find or keep friends, resulting in a feeling of social isolation. Other children struggle with following the routine and rules of a school day. They may present as inattentive or distractable in the classroom, or they may have difficulty sitting still and move through their day as if powered by a motor, always on the go. Some children present as disruptive or defiant at school, ignoring or refusing to follow school rules, at times engaging in aggressive behavior towards themselves or others. Some children may exhibit these behaviors at school and in the home or community; other children may act out in some settings but not others.

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Adolescents:

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Older adolescents and young adults may grapple with identity issues. They may be experiencing anxiety related to school or career challenges, or they may struggle with navigating peer or parent-child relationships. 

 

The impact of home stressors that children and adolescents are dealing with, such as the birth or death of a sibling, a geographical move, a change of school or other family strain may be acted out in the school or community setting as well as the home. 

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Adults:

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Adults seek treatment for a variety of behavioral or emotional concerns. Island Psychiatry utilizes a variety of approaches to help address and resolve the issues that are interfering with living a full life. 

 

The Unified-Specialties approach of Island Psychiatry includes a collaborative treatment team of mental health professionals from different disciplines under one roof. This biopsychosocial approach leads to a comprehensive mental health plan for children, adolescents and adults that provides the support and assistance needed to help them grow and develop.