The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 1 in 6 children and adolescents will experience mental health difficulties that hobble normal functioning in school, with peers, and with their families. Fortunately, there are effective treatments. At Saber Psychiatry, we treat childhood/adolescent disorders seriously; we know that early intervention prevents further suffering, so we work to assess the difficulties and provide treatments. Dr. Moturi is board-certified in both adult psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry, and Terra Lomber works with 16-year-olds through adults. Count on Saber Psychiatry for comprehensive assessments and treatments that focus on the person as a whole rather than a collection of maladaptive behaviors. We respect and prescribe medication, but we do not rely on it at the expense of other treatments. We believe in holistic approaches that appreciate the family system.
- Board-certified psychiatrist
- Children, adolescents, and adults
- Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations
- Conservative medication management
- Holistic
- Sleep disorder evaluations, studies, and treatment
- Anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, attention deficit, behavior, emotional regulation
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Early-onset psychotic disorders
- Family therapy, parent training
- Exceptional care
- Appointments are available in-person and via telehealth
- Experienced and caring
Call Saber Psychiatry at 615.678.7839 for an Appointment
Most adult mental health disorders begin in childhood or adolescence, so early treatment may prevent later suffering. Studies from the NIMH suggest that anywhere from 16% to 29% of adolescents in the US suffer from at least one diagnosable mental health disorder, with a lower proportion of younger children suffering from at least one such disorder.
Mental health disorders in children and adolescents may include:
- Social anxiety, phobias, other anxieties (including those focused on body image)
- Depression or other mood disorders
- Attention difficulties
- Sleep disorders
- Spectrum disorders
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Disruptive behavior (such as oppositional defiant disorder)
Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, exist but are uncommon.
Not Just Growing Pains
Disagreeing with parents or other authority figures, shyness, being reluctant to go to school, and refusing to go to bed are all part of normal functioning for children and adolescents as well as their parents.
When behaviors are not in line with children’s developmental stages, or these behaviors make typical functioning difficult and painful, you should contact a professional for an assessment/evaluation.
Saber Psychiatry recommends evaluating young children if they:
- Have frequent tantrums compared to their age-mates
- Are intensely irritable much of the time
- Often complain about worries or fears
- Complain about stomachaches or headaches without medical reasons
- Sleep too much, have frequent nightmares
- Are excessively sleepy during the daytime
- Struggle academically without known causes, have had recent slips in grades
- Develop rituals out of fear that something bad will happen if they don’t do these things
We recommend evaluating older children and adolescents if they:
- Have lost interest in activities that they used to enjoy
- Have low energy compared to peers or are showing changes in energy (keep in mind that adolescents do need a great of sleep, so compare them to their peers and their usual functioning)
- Sleep too much compared to their peers
- Diet or exercise excessively, talk about weight or body image
- Show signs of self-harm (cutting, for example)
- Behave recklessly/self-destructively
- Talk about suicide
- Worry that someone or some agency is trying to control their thinking
Mental illnesses are treatable, so please call our Saber Psychiatry office for an appointment. We are here at 615.678.7839.