Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Section committee
Section mission
This Section's mission is to:
Promote child initiatives, scientific efforts and cooperation – building networks of interest for developmental aspects of psychiatry
Section objectives
- To promote child initiatives, scientific efforts and cooperation – building networks of interest for developmental aspects of psychiatry.
- To facilitate scientific discussion and mutual education in child psychiatry during EPA meetings.
- To promote a public discussion on topics of Child Psychiatry such as: SSRI’s in minors, over or under treatment with stimulants, forensic child psychiatry and the law, etc.
- To represent the specific professional needs of child psychiatrists that are members of the EPA.
- To improve the communication between adult and child psychiatrists.
Annual reports
Future Activities
symposium
Crossing thresholds: shaping autism care from childhood to adulthood
06 April 2025 - 06 April 2025 / Madrid
Description :
The symposium opens with a focused discussion on autism spectrum disorder and its comorbidities, highlighting diagnostic challenges and treatment complexities during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. This presentation emphasizes the need for personalized, adaptable care trajectories and explores strategies for maintaining continuity of care through therapeutic adaptations and service integration across healthcare providers.
The second presentation examines the transition of young people with neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health issues from child-centered to adult-oriented healthcare systems. It reviews literature to underscore key challenges and provide recommendations for smoother transitions.
In the third presentation, the focus shifts to how early-onset psychiatric conditions are managed into adulthood, stressing a developmental approach in adult psychiatry that takes into account the history of neurodevelopmental disorders.
The fourth presentation tackles the specific challenges faced by individuals with autism and intellectual disability as they prepare for adulthood. It discusses barriers like communication and social interaction difficulties, and outlines tailored interventions and support systems to help navigate these critical transitions. Case studies are used to illustrate the personal and societal hurdles encountered, underscoring the importance of customized support.
Chair: Krzysztof Krysta (Poland) , Judit Balazs (Hungary)
17:00 - 17:17
A case report about autism spectrum disorder and comorbidities: diagnostic procedure and treatment difficulties in transition from adolescence to adulthood
Speaker: Bernadett Farkas (Hungary)
17:17 - 17:35
The experience of transition to adult services of young people with neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health problems
Speaker: Jacopo Santambrogio (Italy)
17:34 - 17:51
Transition of psychiatric care from childhood to adulthood: An opportunity for adult psychiatry
Speaker: Joao Paulo Coelho Silva Albuquerque (Portugal)
17:51 - 18:08
Challenges faced by individuals with autism and intellectual disability as they prepare for adulthood
Speaker: Michał Ciołek (Poland)
18:08 - 18:30
Q&A
Partners :
This session is jointly organised by the Sections on Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities (MHID) & Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
symposium
What do we know about the health of refugees?
07 April 2025 - 07 April 2025 / Madrid
Description :
With more than 110 million people displaced worldwide, it is foreseeable that the number of refugees will also rise due to the increase in conflicts worldwide. Many governments are now denying refugees access to public services and the right to work, so that they are excluded from the social and economic life of their host countries. They are also often only granted limited access to the healthcare system. Without long-term solutions, refugees remain in desperate situations, living in overcrowded refugee camps and unable to build a new life in dignity and peace.caring for these people is a challenge for mental health systems and mental health professionals. In this symposium, speakers will highlight the basics of therapeutic contact, diagnosis and treatment of displaced people and present practical psychosocial interventions and programmes, including for children, adolescents and refugees.
His is a joint Symposium of ECPC and Ethics Committee and of the Child Psychiatry of the EPA
Chair: Tomasz Gondek (Poland) , Meryam Schouler-Ocak (Germany)
08:00 - 08:17
Forcibly displaced people- what do we know about their mental health conditions?
Speaker: Apostolos Veizis (Greece)
08:17 - 08:34
How can we improve the access of forcibly displaced people to mental health care in Europe?
Speaker: Meryam Schouler-Ocak (Germany)
08:34 - 08:51
What should early career psychiatrists know on cross-cultural psychiatry?
Speaker: Tomasz Gondek (Poland)
08:51 - 09:08
What do we know about the mental health issues of children and adolescents in wartime?
Speaker: Judit Balazs (Hungary)
09:08 - 09:30
Q&A
symposium
Understanding the relationship between ADHD and suicidal spectrum behaviors in children, adolescents and young adults: Implications for clinical practice
08 April 2025 - 08 April 2025 / Madrid
Description :
This session is organised by the Section on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
This symposium aims to offer a better understanding of the risk factors for suicidal spectrum behaviors (SSBs) in individuals with ADHD and to provide practical implications for clinical assessment, treatment, and preventive strategies for SSBs in adolescents and young adults with ADHD as well as the systematic screening of ADHD among individuals with SSBs.
Cédric Galera will address the epidemiology of ADHD and SSBs in children and adolescents, drawing on the results of his longitudinal study identifying various profiles of ADHD during childhood and their associations with SSBs during adolescence. Hala Kerbage will address the bidirectional relationship between ADHD and PTSD as well as traumatic exposure as a potential mediator between ADHD and SSBs. She will discuss practical implications in screening and treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and SSBs among children and adolescents with ADHD. Simone Marchini will address the clinical screening, assessment, and management of emotional dysregulation and self-injury among adolescents with ADHD transitioning into young adulthood, based on a review of the evidence and his clinical and research experience in a transition psychiatry clinic for 15-25 youth. Rami BouKhalil will detail the complex relationship between ADHD and bipolar disorder in the context of SSBs. Clinical data and underlying pathogenesis will be explored offering insights for improved risk assessment and interventions.
Chair: Cédric Galera (France) , Judit Balazs (Hungary)
08:00 - 08:17
Epidemiology of ADHD and suicidal behaviours in children and adolescents
Speaker: Cédric Galera (France)
08:17 - 08:34
Assessment and management of PTSD among children and adolescents with ADHD as a preventive strategy for suicidal behaviours
Speaker: Hala Kerbage (France)
08:34 - 08:51
The causal interplay between comorbid ADHD and bipolar disorder with suicidal behaviours
Speaker: Rami BouKhalil (Lebanon)
08:51 - 09:08
Emotional dysregulation and Non Suicidal Self Injury in adolescents with ADHD transitioning to young adulthood
Speaker: Simone Marchini (Belgium)
09:08 - 09:30
Q&A
symposium
Neurodevelopmental conditions across the age continuum: Understanding differences in presentations
08 April 2025 - 08 April 2025 / Madrid
Description :
Thi symposium aims at bringing together diverse perspectives on the lifespan implications of neurodevelopmental disorders and at exploring the intricate connections between genetics, environment, and parenting in early development, the recognition and implications of neurodevelopmental conditions and the challenges of diagnosing and managing conditions like ADHD in adults. Additionally, the symposium will discuss the intersection of personality disorders with neurodevelopmental issues, highlighting the complexity and necessity of accurate diagnostic processes across various life stages.
Chair: Judit Balazs (Hungary) , Olena Zhabenko
15:00 - 15:17
Parents and neurodevelopment: The complex interplay of genetics and environment
Speaker: Asilay Seker (United Kingdom)
15:17 - 15:34
The ongoing crisis for autistic women: the gender-based complexities of assessment and support
Speaker: Joerdis Rausch (Germany)
15:34 - 15:51
ADHD in adulthood: Why should we not give up on getting the diagnosis right
Speaker: Johanna J. Kooij (Netherlands)
15:51 - 16:08
Overlap between personality disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions
Speaker: Jacob King (United Kingdom)
16:08 - 16:30
Q&A
Partners :
Neurodevelopmental Section