Child Psychiatry: Choosing the Right Approach
Children and adolescents with ADHD, autism spectrum concerns, school refusal, or anxiety benefit from care that involves the whole family, not just the child alone. Our team, led by Dr. Pavan Sonar — MBBS, DPM, DNB Psychiatry, supports families across Mumbai and Maharashtra with child-friendly, family-centred assessment and treatment, with 22+ years of experience and 50,000+ patients treated.
Behavioural Support, Medication, or Both?
Getting the Diagnosis Right First
Childhood presentations often overlap — anxiety can look like inattention, learning difficulties can look like behavioural problems, autism traits can be missed or misattributed. A thorough, child-friendly diagnostic evaluation involving parents, and school input where relevant, is the essential first step before deciding on treatment.
Parent-Training & Behavioural Approaches
For many childhood presentations, particularly ADHD and behavioural difficulties, parent-training programmes and school-based accommodations are foundational and, for milder presentations, can be sufficient on their own.
When Medication Is Considered
For moderate-to-severe ADHD or significant anxiety/mood symptoms affecting a child’s functioning at school and home, medication may be added to behavioural approaches — always considered carefully given the child’s age, weighed against the degree of functional impairment, and reviewed regularly as the child grows.
School Refusal & Anxiety-Related Presentations
School refusal is usually a symptom of underlying anxiety rather than defiance, and responds best to graduated return-to-school planning combined with anxiety-focused therapy, working closely with parents and, where needed, the school.
Recognising When to Seek an Evaluation
Persistent attention or behavioural difficulties affecting school performance, social withdrawal or difficulty with peer relationships, ongoing school refusal, excessive worry, or developmental concerns raised by teachers or paediatricians.
Access Across Maharashtra
In-person, child-friendly assessment at our Mumbai clinic locations (Borivali West, Malad West, Malad East, Andheri West), with online follow-up available across Maharashtra for established patients requiring ongoing monitoring.
For therapy-focused support, see our Child & Adolescent Therapy page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my child need medication?
Not necessarily — many childhood presentations respond well to behavioural and family-based approaches alone. A thorough evaluation determines whether medication would meaningfully add to the treatment plan.
How is a child psychiatric evaluation different from an adult one?
Child evaluations are child-friendly and developmentally appropriate, involve parents directly, and often incorporate school input, since a child’s functioning across home and school settings is central to accurate diagnosis.
My child refuses to go to school — is this a psychiatric issue?
Often, yes — school refusal is frequently driven by underlying anxiety rather than simple defiance, and responds well to a structured, anxiety-focused treatment approach.
Can follow-up appointments be done online?
Yes, for established patients — online follow-up works well for monitoring progress and medication (where used), while initial comprehensive evaluations are generally best done in person.
Book a Child Evaluation
Child-friendly, family-centred assessment and treatment matched to your child’s specific needs.
📞 Call / WhatsApp: +91 85918 40141
📧 Email: drpavansonar@gmail.com
Clinic Locations: Borivali West | Malad West | Andheri West | Malad East — and online across Maharashtra