Background

IIt is firmly established in the psychiatric literature that there is a significant genetic component to mood disorders. Children of parents, one of whom has a mood disorder, are at much greater risk of developing a mood disorder then those in the general population. When these children do develop emotional difficulties, they are often mis-diagnosed and given inappropriate medications or other treatment.

In an article published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry in August 2010, Dr. Anne Duffy, an expert on Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders, recommended the following: “major mood disorders (Melancholia and Bipolar Spectrum Disorder) are often severe lethal brain diseases that are of a genetic basis and typically onset in early adolescence or early adulthood. To improve early detection, we should aim to identify children at familial risk and monitor them annually in a Specialty Psychiatric Program through the entire risk period from adolescence to early adulthood. Any symptomatic high risk offspring should be offered a timely comprehensive psychiatric assessment from a psychiatrist skilled in early detection.”

Not only do most mood disorders onset in adolescence, they also have a substantial onset in the early childhood years. These children are often mis-diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Conduct Disorders.

The goal of the Medaca Child/Adolescent Mood Disorder Screening Program is to offer a screening program to high risk children, that is, children with a first degree relative with a mood disorder or any other psychiatric illness. Children with a second degree relative with psychiatric disorder are also at higher risk. Our program is designed to address both populations.

Services

1. Medaca offers an annual psychiatric assessment to parents who are concerned about their child or adolescent who is at risk of having a mood disorder or other psychiatric disorder.

The assessment includes an interview with the parents, an interview with the child or adolescent, and completion of screening questionnaires for Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Psychotic Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, ADD, ADHD, and Substance Abuse.

Screening questionnaires are scored on a quarterly basis for participants of the program. These questionnaires are completed by the parents and the child or adolescent as indicated.

2. Children and adolescents with mood disorders often have learning difficulties (i.e., ADD, ADHD, specific learning disorders such as difficulties with working memory and problems with mathematics). As such, they require special attention to their educational needs. Our program includes participation by one of our clinicians to attend the Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Meeting and review the Individual Educational Plan (IEP) with the parents, teachers, and child as well as counseling regarding the educational needs of the child or adolescent.

3. Medaca offers a telephone consultation to the family physician regarding any diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

4.Medaca offers the provision of educational materials of psychiatric disorders including written materials to parents in need of support. Parents are also able to contact Medaca to express concerns regarding their child or adolescent and we will ensure a Medaca response.

How To Contact Us

Parents with concerns about their children can contact us here.