Pediatric Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry

Pediatric consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry is a dynamic and growing subspecialty. Pediatric C-L psychiatrists serve a variety of roles at the intersection of physical and psychiatric illness in children, including supporting the psychiatric well-being of children with chronic physical illness, assessing for psychiatric manifestations of physical illness, and treating children with primary psychiatric illness who require medical intervention or are awaiting inpatient psychiatric placement. After a brief introduction to the field, this chapter discusses the role of the pediatric C-L psychiatrist; highlights the unique aspects of pediatric C-L psychiatry, including a discussion of the developmental approach to chronic illness; explores common reasons for pediatric C-L psychiatry requests; discusses evolving systems of C-L care; and reviews legal and ethical concerns encountered in pediatric C-L psychiatry. While the role of pediatric C-L psychiatry is expanding, this chapter focuses primarily on pediatric C-L in the inpatient pediatric setting, a primary location for the practice of pediatric C-L psychiatry.