[Psychiatric consultation in pediatrics. Description and problems].

In this study of psychiatric consultations in a paediatric department, a description is given of the evolution and duration of treatment in the first 55 cases seen. Children ranged from age 1 month to 12 years. Two findings are of particular interest: most of the children were of a very young age (less than 3 years); most psychiatric treatments were of short duration. These results are due to the preventive orientation of our consultation and to the close collaboration between pediatricians and psychiatrists. The preventive approach allows for less heavy and costly measures than the standard long-term psychiatric treatment. This preventive approach is only possible if the diagnosis is established early. The pediatrician is in a better position than the psychiatrist to practice early detection, as in young children the psychopathology is often expressed through somatic channels. In cases where the pathology was detected at a later age, the treatment is usually more difficult.