Lesson 1Developmental history: prenatal, perinatal, milestones, school progress, and standard developmental screening toolsThis part looks at how to get a full developmental history, covering prenatal and perinatal events, milestones, language and motor growth, school progress, and using standard screening tools in psychiatric checks.
Prenatal and perinatal risk factorsMotor, language, and social milestonesEarly temperament and attachment patternsSchool readiness and academic progressDevelopmental screening tools in practiceLesson 2Family, social, and environmental history: family psychiatric history, separation/divorce impact, parenting practices, socioeconomic stressors, ACEs and trauma screeningThis part deals with checking family, social, and environmental factors, like family psychiatric history, parenting ways, separation or divorce, money troubles, ACEs, and trauma exposure, and how these affect risk, strength, and treatment plans.
Family psychiatric and medical historyParenting styles and family dynamicsImpact of separation, divorce, and lossSocioeconomic and cultural stressorsACEs, trauma screening, and resilienceLesson 3Mental status exam for children: observation techniques, attention/impulse testing, affect, thought content, speech, play-based assessment methodsThis part explains the child mental status exam, stressing observation, building trust, play, attention and impulse tests, affect, thought content, and age-fitting ways to check insight, judgment, and risk in different clinic settings.
Setting up a child-friendly interviewObserving appearance and behaviorAssessing mood, affect, and play themesEvaluating thought content and perceptionAttention, impulse control, and cognitionLesson 4Documentation and diagnostic coding: writing assessment summaries, problem lists, provisional vs definitive diagnoses, and DSM-5-TR coding nuancesThis part shows how to turn clinic data into clear written checks, sort problem lists, tell provisional from sure diagnoses, and use DSM-5-TR coding rules right in paediatric psychiatric work.
Structuring pediatric assessment summariesPrioritizing and updating problem listsProvisional versus definitive diagnosesDSM-5-TR coding rules in childrenCommon pediatric coding pitfallsLesson 5School-based information: interpreting report cards, IEP/504 plans, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and academic/learning disorder screening testsThis part focuses on getting and understanding school info, like report cards, IEP and 504 plans, teacher talks, classroom watches, and screening tests for learning and attention problems that affect school and social life.
Reading report cards and commentsUnderstanding IEP and 504 documentationPlanning classroom observationsInterviewing teachers and school staffScreening for learning and attention issuesLesson 6Medical and neurological review: reviewing past medical records, medication history, sensory/hearing/vision, sleep disorders, and red flags for organic causesThis part covers steady medical and neurological checks in child psychiatry, including old records, medicines, sleep, sensory and seizure issues, and main warning signs that point to body, gene, or brain causes of psychiatric signs.
Reviewing pediatric medical recordsMedication history and psychotropic effectsScreening vision, hearing, and sensory issuesSleep disorders and behavioral overlapRed flags for organic or neurological causesLesson 7Use of standardised diagnostic interviews: Kiddie-SADS, DISC, and semi-structured approaches for DSM-5-TR diagnosesThis part reviews big standardised diagnostic talks for youth, focusing on Kiddie-SADS, DISC, and semi-structured ways, with tips on choosing, doing, scoring, and mixing results into DSM-5-TR diagnoses.
Overview of structured and semi-structured toolsKiddie-SADS indications and proceduresDISC administration and scoring basicsSemi-structured DSM-5-TR interview skillsIntegrating interview data with clinical judgmentLesson 8Detailed psychiatric history: onset/course of symptoms, situational triggers, temporal patterns, sleep, appetite, mood, anxiety, trauma exposure, substance use screeningThis part describes how to gather a detailed psychiatric history in children, covering start and flow of symptoms, triggers, sleep and appetite, mood and anxiety, trauma exposure, and age-fitting substance use checks, while keeping safety and trust.
Clarifying onset and symptom timelineSituational triggers and temporal patternsSleep, appetite, and somatic complaintsMood, anxiety, and trauma questioningSubstance use and risk behavior screeningLesson 9Formulation skills: constructing biopsychosocial and developmental formulations linking symptoms to context, stressors, and comorbiditiesThis part teaches how to build biopsychosocial and developmental formulations that link symptoms to nature, relationships, stressors, and other conditions, and how to use them to guide diagnosis, risk check, and team treatment planning.
Core components of a good formulationDevelopmental pathways and risk factorsLinking symptoms to context and stressorsIncorporating comorbidity and complexityUsing formulations to guide treatmentLesson 10Collateral information collection: structured interviews and rating scales for parents, teachers, and child (eg, SNAP-IV, Vanderbilt, Conners, RCADS)This part outlines best ways to collect extra info from parents, teachers, and youth using structured talks and rating scales like SNAP-IV, Vanderbilt, Conners, and RCADS, and for sorting out different reports from sources.
Choosing informants across settingsParent and caregiver interview structureTeacher report forms and interviewsUsing SNAP-IV, Vanderbilt, and ConnersUsing RCADS and anxiety–mood scales
