Adolescent Psychiatry
At Tays Adolescent Psychiatry, we study and treat severe mental health disorders in adolescents age 13–17 years, that are associated with difficult symptoms and decreased functional capacity.
Severe mental health disorders in adolescents include the following, for example:
- psychoses
- severe mood disorders (severe depressive disorders and bipolar disorders)
- eating disorders
- severe anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder
- psychiatric disorders associated with autism spectrum disorders in adolescence
- difficult disease crises
- self-destructive behaviour problems which may be associated with different disorders.
When should I seek special health care?
Many adolescent psychiatric disorders have both mild and severe forms. Mild and moderate disorders are treated in school or student health care, health centres and municipal adolescent mental health care groups. All municipalities in the Pirkanmaa region have some mental health service for adolescents.
Tays treats severe adolescent psychiatric disorders that are associated with severe symptoms and decreased functional capacity. Studies and treatment are provided on the basis of a physician's referral.
If the adolescent has an existing treatment relationship with some professional in the municipality or school or student health care, the relationship should be continued until the adolescent's treatment after special health care studies has been organised.
Tests and treatment at Tays
Adolescent psychiatric studies and treatment include interviews, discussion and structured tests, both with the adolescent and the family and the adolescent's broader network, such as the school or child protective services.
Depending on needs, the treatment includes an individual treatment relationship, family work, group treatments, network meetings and individual and family therapy. The treatment is usually provided at the Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic.
The Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Outpatient Care Unit provides two-week long enhanced outpatient treatment periods during difficult phases of depression, anxiety or eating disorders, for example. The Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Outpatient Care Unit operates at Tays Central Hospital.
Ward treatment is provided if the adolescent's safety requires around the clock surveillance or if the tests cannot be performed in outpatient care. Adolescent psychiatric wards operate in Tays Keskusairaala. There are two wards: one that serves primarily patients in the Pirkanmaa region, Adolescent Psychiatry Ward, and the Psychiatric Research and Intensive Care Unit for Children and Adolescents, the EVA Unit. Psychiatric assessments are also done for underage children in the EVA Unit.
Tays Sastamala Hospital has an adolescent psychiatry work group that serves the adolescent population in the area.
Special expertise at Tays
The EVA Unit studies and treats underage children who are difficult to treat and are allocated nationally to fewer than five university hospitals, underage forensic psychiatric patients and underage patients who need an assessment of sexual identity.
The department of Tays adolescent psychiatry has particularly developed the treatment of psychoses beginning in adolescence, eating disorders in adolescents and neuropsychiatric disorders in adolescents. Our scientific work especially focuses on violent behaviour related to mental health disorders, risk and protective factors related to adolescent mental health disorders and the adolescent psychiatric service system.
Persons in charge
Head of Department, Chief Psychiatrist Riittakerttu Kaltiala
Chief Psychiatrist of the Adolescent Psychiatry Intensive Outpatient Care Unit Jaana Ruuska
Nursing Director Kirsi Arvonen