American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Deprivations or these other coercive techniques, those approaches are not recommended.

The AACAP specifically warns that coercive attachment interventions lack the scientific evidence and they can cause serious harm, sometimes including death, especially with that rebirthing thing that I was talking about.

If you don't know what that is, I don't have time to go into it today because we're already approaching the time limit, but go kind of look it up on your own.

But I also want to, even though we're talking about the child, I want to talk about that the caregivers need support too.

I'm Ella Ruder, behavioral health reporter with Becker's.

Today, I'm joined by John Walkup, MD, President of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Across the country, demand for behavioral health care among children and adolescents continues to put pressure on the health care system.

But hospitals and health systems face a fundamental workforce challenge.

Good to be here.

Wonderful.

Could you start us off by telling the audience a little bit more about yourself and your work with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry?

Sure.

Um, so this is a very normal regimen.

So in 2020, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, their anxiety guidelines recommends SSRIs be offered for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders when clinically appropriate.

Um, another study from them in 2023, uh, their depression guidelines addresses evidence-based psychosocial and medication treatment for major and persistent depressive disorder in children and adolescents.

So SSRIs are not ADHD medications, but some children with ADHD may also need treatment for anxiety, depression, or OCD.

You know, they're, is so much evidence to suggest that early identification and early treatment of ADHD is life-changing.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is publishing some really great stuff right now.

And so I hope that that will turn the tide in thinking a little bit, you know, from, oh, let's wait and see, maybe it's this teacher, maybe it's this school, maybe it's this age, to, oh, there's a question.

Let's go get some data.

You know, I think that there are some good resources out there.

We put a book, a parent and caregiver book out, and it's available on the ACAP, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, their Screen Media Resource Center.

to kind of help families get the conversation started.

That can be really helpful so that when teens do encounter a problem, they feel more comfortable to talk to their family about it because they've already had these discussions.

Dr. Gee is a member of the American College of Psychiatrists, the Association for Academic Psychiatry, and the American Association for Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training.

Dr. Gee achieves distinguished fellow status from the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Dr. Gee, welcome to Food Transforms.

Thank you so much for having me on.

The best predictor of whether a medication works remains a carefully monitored medication trial with that prescribing clinician.

So the research here is from AACAP in 2020.

They recommended that clinicians avoid using pharmacogenic testing to select psychotropic medications in children and adolescents.

And their facts for families in 2020 explains that working with the provider to sort out side effects and the risks and benefits is likely to be more helpful than pharmacogenic testing in most cases.

So the key takeaway here is that genetic testing can sound precise, but it does not replace a thoughtful medication trial and follow up with the prescriber.

And just so everyone knows, AACAP stands for American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which is, you know, the national governing board for child and adolescent psychiatry.

So in conclusion, ADHD medication is not right for every single child.

Medication is not the only treatment for ADHD kids and teens.