Helping Kids Transition to Adulthood

Preparing For Your Child's Psychiatric Evaluation: What You Need To Know

26 June 2020

William Palmer

If your child has recently been referred to a psychiatrist, you may be feeling a little uncertain about what to expect from that first appointment. Generally, the first visit with a child psychiatrist is treated as an evaluation, giving you an opportunity to meet the psychiatrist first-hand and have your concerns addressed. From there, a treatment plan may be recommended, or additional testing may be requested.

Before your child's first appointment with a psychiatrist, there are a few things you can do to make things easier on yourself and your child on the day of the evaluation.

Create a List of Questions and Concerns

Rather than relying on yourself to remember every single question, concern, and symptom you want to tell the psychiatrist about, create a list ahead of time. This will ensure that you don't forget anything that you'd like to mention or ask. As part of this list, it's also a good idea to include the names of any medications your child may be currently taking, as the psychiatrist will need to know about these when formulating a treatment plan.

Double-Check With Your Insurance

If you'll be using a health insurance plan to cover your child's psychiatric services, make sure you've talked to the psychiatrist's office to confirm that they accept your insurance. If there is a co-pay associated with your plan, they should be able to tell you this before your visit so there aren't any surprises on the day of. Don't forget to bring your insurance card with you on the day of your child's appointment, either.

Find Out If You Can Be in the Room

Some psychiatrist's offices encourage parents to be present during the evaluation, whereas others may prefer that the child decide. In some offices, parents may not be permitted to be in the room during the child's evaluation if the child is over a certain age. It's important to find out about your office's policies ahead of time so you know what to expect. 

Talk Openly With Your Child

Your child may be just as nervous for this appointment as you are, so do take the time to speak with your child about the purpose of the appointment. Listen to your child's concerns and validate them. If he or she has any questions about the appointment, have them answered ahead of time so your child will feel better prepared and more confident going into the evaluation. Above all else, make sure that your child knows receiving care from a psychiatrist is no different from going to the doctor when they're sick. The ultimate goal is to help your child feel better, after all!

To learn more, contact a psychiatrist like Linet Les.

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