How PediPRN can help your child

PediPRN is available to help your child’s primary care provider (PCP) with diagnosing and treating mental health problems. The PCP may contact a PediPRN child psychiatrist or mental health therapist during your child’s visit to:

Discuss symptoms, thoughts or feelings your child is having
Better understand what might be causing your child’s symptoms
Make a diagnosis
Discuss the best treatment option(s)
Obtain advice on possible medications

The PediPRN specialist can give advice to your child’s PCP about how to help your child or suggest a referral to other mental health services.

What will happen next?

Usually, after the PCP consults with PediPRN s/he will talk with you and your child about possible treatments. Once in a while, the PediPRN specialist will want to see you and your child for an appointment to gain a better understanding of the situation. If so, your child’s PCP will ask you to call PediPRN to schedule an appointment with a PediPRN child psychiatrist and/or therapist. This is usually only for one visit. After the evaluation, the PediPRN specialist will contact your PCP with recommendations for your child’s treatment.

What kind of treatment can you expect?

The treatment depends on what the problem is and what usually works the best. Your child or adolescent may get a referral for counseling. S/he may be referred to special education services or for psychological testing. Some children may need to take medications. Sometimes your PCP can prescribe and monitor these medications. Other times your child may be referred to a child psychiatrist in the community.

PediPRN also provides resource and referral support to assist families in identifying and scheduling appointments with recommended mental health services in the community. Sometimes a PediPRN resource and referral specialist will contact you to arrange discuss these referral options.

Support for families

Children’s mental health problems can be very stressful for families. It can be tough to find people who really understand what you’re going through. If you need support and/or advice about additional services, there are several resources in the community, including (but not limited to):

Family Mental Health Resources