Child Psychiatry in Mumbai | Child & Adolescent Mental Health Specialist
Children and adolescents face unique mental health challenges — from school pressure and exam anxiety to ADHD, autism, behavioural problems, depression, and anxiety. Early identification and intervention are critical: childhood mental health issues, left untreated, can shape adult mental health trajectories. Dr. Pavan Sonar (MBBS, DPM, DNB Psychiatry) provides expert, child-friendly psychiatric evaluation and treatment for children and adolescents across Mumbai.
Common Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conditions
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) — Inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity affecting school performance and behaviour
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — Social communication difficulties, restricted interests, repetitive behaviours
- Specific Learning Disabilities — Dyslexia (reading), Dyscalculia (maths), Dysgraphia (writing) — often misidentified as “laziness”
- Intellectual Disability (ID) — Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour
- Speech and Language Disorders — Delayed speech, stuttering, language processing difficulties
Anxiety Disorders in Children
- School Refusal / School Phobia — Extreme reluctance or refusal to attend school due to anxiety
- Separation Anxiety Disorder — Excessive fear of separation from parents beyond developmentally appropriate level
- Selective Mutism — Consistent failure to speak in specific situations (school) despite speaking in others (home)
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder — Chronic, excessive worry about multiple areas (school, health, family, future)
- Social Anxiety — Fear of social situations, performance situations; avoiding social interactions
Mood Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Childhood Depression — Often presents as irritability rather than sadness in younger children; withdrawal from friends; academic decline
- Adolescent Depression — Sadness, hopelessness, self-harm, social withdrawal, sleep changes, school refusal
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) — Severe, recurrent temper outbursts; chronically irritable mood
- Early-onset Bipolar Disorder — Mood cycling in adolescents; requires careful diagnosis
Behavioural Disorders
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) — Persistent defiant, hostile, disobedient behaviour towards authority figures
- Conduct Disorder — Repetitive violation of others’ rights or societal norms; serious aggression, property destruction, deceitfulness
Other Child Mental Health Issues
- OCD in children — Rituals, compulsions, intrusive thoughts
- Childhood PTSD — Trauma reactions from abuse, accidents, family violence, medical trauma
- Eating Disorders in Adolescents — Anorexia, bulimia, ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
- Tic Disorders / Tourette Syndrome — Involuntary motor and vocal tics
- Enuresis (bedwetting) — Persistent bedwetting beyond age 5
- Screen addiction / gaming disorder — Increasing issue among Mumbai’s adolescents
- Adolescent self-harm — Cutting, burning; requires immediate psychiatric evaluation
- Exam anxiety and academic stress — Particularly relevant given Mumbai’s competitive school environment
Warning Signs That Your Child May Need Psychiatric Help
- Sudden decline in school performance or school refusal
- Withdrawal from friends, family, and previously enjoyed activities
- Dramatic changes in behaviour, mood, or personality
- Excessive fears, worries, or phobias interfering with daily life
- Sleep disturbances — nightmares, difficulty sleeping, sleeping too much
- Changes in appetite — significant weight loss or gain
- Frequent physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches) with no medical cause
- Aggressive behaviour, frequent tantrums, or defiance beyond expected developmental level
- Self-harm behaviours or talk of not wanting to live
- Developmental regression — reverting to younger behaviours
Child Psychiatric Assessment in Mumbai
Dr. Pavan Sonar conducts comprehensive child and adolescent psychiatric assessments including: detailed developmental history (from parents), clinical interview with child (age-appropriate), standardised rating scales, school reports, and coordination with paediatricians and neurologists as needed. Assessments are conducted in a child-friendly, non-threatening manner — children and adolescents are never forced to share.
Child Psychiatry Treatment Approaches
1. Parent Training and Psychoeducation
For most childhood conditions, working with parents is as important as working with the child. Parent training teaches effective behaviour management techniques, communication strategies, and how to create supportive home environments. Dr. Sonar involves parents as therapeutic partners.
2. Child-Adapted CBT
CBT techniques adapted for children’s developmental level help with anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD. Age-appropriate techniques use drawings, games, stories, and imaginative exercises to help children understand and manage their emotions.
3. Play Therapy
For younger children, play is the primary medium of communication and therapy. Play therapy allows children to express and process difficult experiences, emotions, and conflicts in a natural, age-appropriate way.
4. School Liaison
Dr. Sonar provides assessment reports and recommendations for school accommodations — special educational needs assessments, recommendation for extra time in board exams, classroom modifications for ADHD — in coordination with Mumbai schools and the SSC/CBSE/ICSE board accommodation processes.
5. Medication (When Appropriate)
Child psychiatric medications are used conservatively, only when clinically indicated, at the lowest effective dose. Methylphenidate (ADHD), SSRIs (anxiety, OCD, depression), and risperidone (ASD irritability, tics) have good safety profiles in children when properly monitored. Dr. Sonar discusses all medication options fully with parents before prescribing.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child refuses to come to the clinic — what do I do?
Many children and teenagers resist seeing a psychiatrist due to stigma or fear. Dr. Sonar is experienced in engaging reluctant young patients. Sometimes an online consultation can be a less threatening first step. Parents can also attend an initial consultation alone to get guidance before involving the child.
At what age can children see a psychiatrist?
Child psychiatry covers from infancy through adolescence (up to 18 years). Concerns about very young children (1–5 years) such as developmental delays, speech delays, or early autism signs can be assessed. There is no minimum age.
Will seeing a psychiatrist go on my child’s school record?
No. Psychiatric consultations are strictly confidential medical encounters. Nothing is shared with schools without your written consent. The only exception is information needed for school accommodation requests — and only what you choose to share.
Book Child Psychiatry Consultation in Mumbai
Your child’s mental health is as important as their physical health. Early help makes a lifetime of difference. Dr. Pavan Sonar — Outlook India Best Doctor 2022, 2024 & 2026 — provides expert, child-friendly psychiatric care at 4 Mumbai clinics and online across Maharashtra.
📞 Call / WhatsApp: +91 85918 40141
📧 Email: drpavansonar@gmail.com
Clinics: Borivali West | Malad West | Andheri West | Malad East