neuropsychologist is not available, Psychiatrist or Psycologist instead?

[allhaileris]

I'm having major issues with daughter's doctor and trying to get her to see the correct people. Still working on getting her into Occupational Therapist (OT) and going back and forth with the doctor (but that's another issue). The closest place to see a neuropsychologist is an hour away. While we do need to do this, I need a close doctor that we can contact if there is a crisis, or at least for regular appts. When I spoke with the asst at the regular doctor I told them I just needed a referral to somebody who could give medicine. The asst said that if she saw a psychologist (is that a therapist??) then that person could call her regular doctor and get the medicine called in by them. I'm not sure how comfortable I am with this, but I have limited resources of doctors available due to the area.

Can anybody give me some insight into the differences of the two kinds of docs? I'm dealing with one thing at a time with her, and I need to find somebody very soon who can deal with her issues now. I don't want to drag her to a million docs to find the right person to treat her.

 

[InsaneCdn]

psychiatrist = psychiatrist. These are usually responsible for managing medications... if you get a really good one, they might help pull together a complex diagnosis (for example, if others have already ruled out all sorts of things and it comes down to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or not... a psychiatrist can make that call).

therapist = psychologist, clinical social worker, etc. - a "talk" doctor.

Comprehensive evaluations are not usually done by either of these (although our best one was done by phd-level therapist). Usually neuropsychologist, or a team - child developmental, or child behavioral, usually out of a childrens' or teaching hospital.

Most of us need access to all three... but psychiatrist + therapist = long-term support.

 

[BusynMember]

A neuropsychologist does intensive testing. They are psychologists (with PhDs) with special training in the brain. I like them best. I went an hour for my son's neuropsychologist. After the evaluation is over (6-10 hours) you usually do not see the neuropsychologist regularly. But he can give a local doctor a very inside look at your child in a way that psychiatrists and regular therapists don't because they don't do the level of testing that NeuroPsychs do.

There is also a big difference in education between social workers (some only have four year degrees) therapists (some have a Masters) and Psychologists (PhD). If you care about that.

 

[TeDo]

We had to go over 2 hours to the neuropsychologist. He did a VERY thorough evaluation that gave VERY accurate diagnosis that the psychiatrist an hour away from us is prescribing the medications for. As far as I know, a neuropsychologist can't prescribe medications (I could be very wrong about that). We also have limited options without driving more than 45 mintues one way. But if you get the right one, it is worth every mile.

 

[chloedancer]

A clinical social worker, therapist, or counselor are all masters level clinicians. a psychologist has a doctoral degree, either a PhD or a PsyD. Some do testing, some do therapy, and some do both. A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor with specialized training is psychiatric care. They rarely do therapy, but are the only one of these that can prescribe medication. It is important to me that the psychiatrist is board certified in child or adolescent psychiatry. I hope that was helpful...I don't know if I explained it well.

 

[buddy]

The only neuropsychs that can rx medications are ones who are MD's along with their psychiatric degrees. BUT the one we saw at the same place TeDo went to was working where our neuro was so within 30 minutes we did have an rx for medications.


It is well worth the hour travel for a neuropsychologist. You will NOT need follow up etc. As the others have said they are just for testing, diagnosis, and you CAN go back in future years to monitor progress or if new issues arise to help sort through things.

This could give your closer docs a lifetime of better information.

 

[buddy]

A clinical social worker, therapist, or counselor are all masters level clinicians. a psychologist has a doctoral degree, either a PhD or a PsyD. Some do testing, some do therapy, and some do both. A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor with specialized training is psychiatric care. They rarely do therapy, but are the only one of these that can prescribe medication. It is important to me that the psychiatrist is board certified in child or adolescent psychiatry. I hope that was helpful...I don't know if I explained it well.

in our state a clinical psychologist can have a masters degree. Need to check the license to see what level. To me, the experience, their ability etc. is what matters when it has come to my son. I'll take even a bachelors level person who has been working with kids like mine for a long time and really get it over a new post doctor. PhD or resident any day.

 

[chloedancer]

I am pretty sure that the american psychological association only recognizes doctoral degrees as a psychologist, but a lot of states have a clinical psychologist-a or associate. They have a masters degree is clinical psychology and are supervised by a psychologist. I don't think the degree is always what matters either, but if you Aare looking for medication management you will need a psychiatrist and if you are looking for testing you will need a psychologist, neuropsychologist or psychology associate.

 

[buddy]

I am pretty sure that the american psychological association only recognizes doctoral degrees as a psychologist, but a lot of states have a clinical psychologist-a or associate. They have a masters degree is clinical psychology and are supervised by a psychologist. I don't think the degree is always what matters either, but if you Aare looking for medication management you will need a psychiatrist and if you are looking for testing you will need a psychologist, neuropsychologist or psychology associate.

Yeah, I agree, the best thing is to ask what degree AND licensing board they are members of. In MN licensed clinical psychs are fine to have their own practices and even M.A. will pay them without a PhD supervising but how is THIS for scary......(and same is true for my profession, eeek)... .

You know psycho (the psychiatric in Q's school who made a mess of our lives??) Turns out that a school psychiatric here does NOT have to be licensed through the mn psychiatric licensing board. ONLY through the MN dept of ed.

(found out through our home psychiatric who used to be an educational psychologist too, and HE is an M.A. level psychiatric that I would put above a PhD psychiatric any day).

I think there are good reasons for guidelines, just makes me sick this guy could act as a leader for the team and be such a #@#%^%$#@