Inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric referrals in Saudi Arabia: clinical profiles and treatment

ABSTRACT

A retrospective review was made of the case records of inpatients referred to the psychiatric consultation-liaison service of King Khalid University Hospital, Saudi Arabia over a 6-year period. For the 109 patients under 18 years old, the study noted both the medical or surgical diseases diagnosed as well as psychiatric disorders and the treatment approaches used by psychiatrists. Depressive and adjustment disorders were the most often diagnosed psychiatric illnesses.The most common medical diagnoses were epilepsy, drug overdose, ambiguous genitalia, orthopaedic injuries and diabetes mellitus.Young people with these medical problems are in real need of psychological assessment and intervention