another "medication" question.....

[SweetMissMagnolia]

Well maybe not just a medication question but a dr question......What's the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist....Zachary has so far only seen a psychologist...and she has helped ALOT....but sometimes I wonder if we need to find another dr (hubby thinks so big time)...and from reading the replies to my post from yesterday (and other postings) that alot of kids with some of the same issues as my son see a psychiatrist......is this something we should look into? (I know it's a personal decision) but do most kids with these issues see psychiatrists? what can I expect from that if we do see one? what are the therapy sessions/visits like? I mean I have an idea of what a psychiatrist does with adults but no clue with kids like mine....... THANKS! :confused:

[hsbaby]

Well, I believe psychiatrists can prescribe meds while psychologists can not. In my experience, our appts. with psychologists have been more talk therapy based while our psychiatrists just want a run down from me on what symptoms/behaviors we ate looking to address and then prescribe a med. they think will help. At this point, we no longer see either.

[HomeschoolingMy4]

I don't know everything you have gone through, but yes, psychologists don't prescribe medication. Psychiatrists are MDs, I believe, and do prescribe medication. Most psychologists will refer to a psychiatrist if they feel the patient needs medication. You do have to be careful w/psychiatrists as some (not all) will prescribe medication and offer very little support aside from that.

[Shellers]

 

http://depression.about.com/cs/psychotherapy/f/psychologist.htm

 

Question: What Is the Difference Between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?

Answer: The simplest way to describe the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist when it comes to treating depression is that one is a medical doctor, while the other is not.

A psychologist primarily aids the depressed patient through counseling and psychotherapy. He may hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) and be called "doctor," but is not a medical doctor (M.D.).

A psychiatrist, on the other hand, is a medical doctor, and while he may also perform psychotherapy, he can additionally prescribe medications and perform medical procedures such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

There is an exception to the above, however. Two states -- Louisiana and New Mexico -- do allow appropriately trained clinical psychologists to prescribe medication with certain limitations.

 

 

 

 

My daughter sees a psychiatrist for her depression but he has suggested she see a psychologist or counselor if she feels like she needs someone to talk to about issues in her life.

[elise1mds]

I have never seen a psychiatrist for DS, though we visited a psychologist regularly for about a year before we began homeschooling. He is prescribed medication through his pediatrician whose opinions I trust. DD, on the other hand, has yet to see a psychologist, but we keep in regular touch with a psychiatrist. She is right on the border of needing to be medicated, and when it comes to a young child with a mood disorder, many psychologists aren't aware of how to properly treat issues. So I wanted to find a psychiatrist first and then ask for a recommendation of a good psychologist if and when we need one (i.e. the minute we start medication, though I'd rather avoid it if possible).

[SweetMissMagnolia]

This is basicly how we are doing it now-we see a psychologist (behavior specialist) and we get meds prescribed by the pediatrician....The pediatrician has seen our "family" for many many years-saw my sister's kids that are now almost in there 30s....But Some things I've seen online like the medication issue-I've read about something being available in liquid form and I'll ask our dr about it and I won't really get an answer on it...I've asked the psychologist if we need to see another dr but can't really get a straight answer either LOL....so I was just kinda wondering if it's in the "norm" for kids to see both a psychologist and a psychiatrist....:confused:

 

** (and I know I can't take what another person gives for advice and always think it'll work for my child)--