Multidisciplinary evaluation of preschool children and its demography in a military psychiatric clinic.

 54% of referrals were initiated by medical services, 30% by parents directly, 8% from schools, and 6% by a parent’s psychiatrist.  The most frequent problem behaviors reported were: children being difficult to manage/control (43%), temper tantrums (23%), overactive/hyperactive (19%), aggressive or destructive (19), and depression/unhappy mood (16%).  Depression or unhappy mood were more likely in girls compared to boys.  The most frequent diagnoses were adjustment disorder of infancy and childhood (35%), disruptive behavior disorder (25%), specific development disorder (18%), disorder of elimination (15%), global developmental delay (13%), and pervasive developmental disorder (10%).  Recommendations for treatment: 50% parent counseling, 20% individual psychotherapy, 15% preschool group therapy, and 10% psychiatric medications.  50% of the children were seen for 1-6 sessions, 16% 6-15 sessions, and 14% were never seen after the intake session.  25% of the children discontinued therapy because of improvement, 20% because they moved, and 20% because they failed to keep follow-up appointments.