61st Annual Meeting

October 18 - 25, 2014

Clinical Case Conference 14 (open)

Scary Kids in the ER, From Scary Drawings to Autism: Managing Special Presentations

Given the increasing number of children and adolescents seeking psychiatric assessment and care in ERs and the limited inpatient pediatric psychiatry beds available, child and adolescent psychiatrists play an important role in determining whether these children are being appropriately assessed, managed, and provided with safe environments; and that ultimately helpful solutions for discharge are created. Addressing this challenge must include creative solutions. Attendees learn the importance of interviewing skills and of understanding drawings and non-verbal communication when evaluating children; learn how to evaluate and respond to scary drawings as reason for referral; gain awareness of novel, trendy drugs of abuse; and explore creative solutions for discharging a child with a mental health crisis. A discussion of the challenges faced by children with autism in the ER and non-pharmacological interventions that can improve their treatment in that setting is included.