Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: An Update and Review

Becker, Jessica E.; Smith, Joshua R.; Hazen, Eric P.

Abstract Background In recent years, there has been an increasing burden of child and adolescent mental illness recognized in the United States, and the need for pediatric mental health care is growing. Pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatrists are increasingly playing a role in the management of medical and psychiatric disease for pediatric patients. The field is a fast-moving one, with understanding of new neuropsychiatric disease entities; reformulation of prior disease entities; and new, interdisciplinary treatments and models of care. Methods In this study, we aim to review recent advances in the field of pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry, including new diagnostic entities, updated management of frequently encountered clinical presentations, and developments in systems of care. Conclusion The advances in pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry are broad and serve to promote more streamlined, evidence-based care for the vulnerable population of psychiatrically ill pediatric medical patients. More work remains to determine the most effective interventions for the wide array of presentations seen by pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatrists.