Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Conditions We Do and Do Not Treat

Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine team sees children and teens with a range of emotional, behavioral or neurodevelopmental concerns.

Conditions We Treat

We specialize in caring for children and teens who have these conditions:

    • Children age 5 to 18 who have anxiety disorders such as separation anxiety, selective mutism, social anxiety, school refusal, panic disorder and specific phobias are seen in our Mood and Anxiety Program.
    • In addition, our Mood and Anxiety program treats obsessive-compulsive disorder and related conditions including trichotillomania, excoriation disorder and tic disorders including Tourette syndrome.
    • We also treat children age 5 to 18 who have mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder as well as eating disorders, gender concerns and psychotic disorders.
    • Those age 4 or younger are seen in our Early Childhood Clinic.
    • Read about anxiety disorders (PDF) (Spanish).

     

    • Children ages 4 or younger with possible ADHD or other problems with learning, attention and behavior are seen in our Early Childhood Clinic.
    • Those ages 5 to 18 with possible ADHD or related conditions are seen in our Program to Enhance Attention, Regulation and Learning (PEARL). (PEARL is not for children who have learning disabilities without ADHD; instead, talk with your child’s school about a special-education evaluation or services that might help.)
  • Seattle Children’s Autism Center provides comprehensive care, including psychiatry and behavioral medicine, for children with autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

  • Our team works closely with other experts in the Eating Disorders Recovery Program to make sure your child receives complete care.

  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine experts are part of the team providing compassionate, gender-affirming care in our Gender Clinic for adolescents and young adults: 

    • Whose gender identity is different from their sex at birth
    • Who do not identify with traditional definitions of male or female
  • We partner with providers from other areas of Seattle Children’s to serve children and teens who are getting medical or surgical care here for a wide range of conditions (like cancercraniofacial conditionsinflammatory bowel disease or heart defects) and who need mental health care or help coping with chronic illness.

  • The Early Childhood Clinic sees children age 4 or younger who have behavior issues along with developmental problems that can be related to the effects of alcohol or drugs before birth and other life experiences.

  • We have providers who specialize in working with children and teens who have psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia.

    • The Early Childhood Clinic sees children age 4 or younger who have behavior issues along with sleep issues.
    • If your child age 5 to 18 is seen in the Mood and Anxiety Program for anxiety, depression or another condition, we will address any related sleep issues your child might have.
    • Seattle Children’s also has a Sleep Disorders Program that offers testing (sleep studies), treatment and consultation for sleep disorders that affect babies, children and young people up to age 21.

We Do Not Treat These Conditions

In a crisis?

If you, your child, family or friend needs help right away, call or text 988. Chat is another option. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources. The Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.

Hotlines for Youth (PDF) provides other options for immediate help for children and teens. (Also available in Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.)