Services
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Parth Vaishnav, Consultant Psychiatrist (MD Psychiatry) · Last reviewed October 2026
Child Therapy
Teen Anxiety
Parent Guidance
Quick Answer
Children and teenagers experience real, diagnosable mental health conditions — anxiety, depression, ADHD, behaviour problems, and screen addiction — that respond best to early, family-centred treatment. Dr. Parth Vaishnav provides child and adolescent psychiatric care in Ahmedabad, combining child-friendly evaluation, therapy, parenting guidance, and medication only where genuinely needed.
Introduction
Is it a phase, or something more? Every parent asks this. Tantrums that never settle, a cheerful child turned withdrawn, a teenager consumed by the phone, exam fear that ends in tears or blank papers — children rarely say 'I am depressed'; they show it through behaviour, body complaints, and falling grades. Seeking an evaluation is not labelling your child; it is understanding them. Most childhood mental health problems, caught early, resolve well — and treatment usually centres on skills and family strategies, not just medicines.
Overview
Half of all lifetime mental health conditions begin by the mid-teens. Children's minds are developing rapidly, which makes them vulnerable — and remarkably responsive to timely intervention. Child psychiatry evaluates emotional, behavioural, developmental, and academic concerns together, always in the context of family, school, and today's inescapable digital environment.
Conditions Treated
• Child Psychiatry — emotional, behavioural, and developmental concerns in children under 12 • Adolescent Psychiatry — mood, anxiety, identity, academic, and behavioural issues in teenagers, with age-appropriate confidentiality • Child Behaviour Problems — aggression, defiance, tantrums, school refusal, and habit problems • Exam Anxiety Treatment — performance anxiety, blanking out, board-exam pressure, and competitive-exam stress (JEE/NEET-level pressure included) • Teenage Depression and Teenage Anxiety — recognized and treated early, before they shape adult life • Parenting Guidance — evidence-based strategies replacing shouting-and-punishment cycles • Screen Addiction in Children — structured assessment and family-based digital detox planning
Signs & Symptoms
• Persistent sadness, irritability, or frequent unexplained crying • Excessive fears, clinginess, or refusal to attend school • Sudden drop in academic performance • Aggression, frequent tantrums beyond the expected age, defiance • Social withdrawal, loss of interest in friends or play • Sleep or appetite changes; frequent stomach aches or headaches with normal reports • Excessive screen use with rage when limited • Self-harm marks, hopeless statements, or talk of death — treat as urgent • Regression — bedwetting or babyish behaviour returning after stress
Causes & Risk Factors
• Biological — genetics, temperament, neurodevelopmental conditions (ADHD, autism spectrum, learning disabilities) • Academic pressure — among the highest child stressors in the Indian context • Family factors — conflict, harsh or inconsistent discipline, over-comparison with siblings/cousins • Bullying — at school or online • Excessive screen exposure displacing sleep, play, and social skills • Life changes — relocation, parental separation, bereavement • Undetected learning difficulties producing chronic failure and frustration
How Diagnosis Works
Child evaluation is gentle and family-inclusive: separate time with parents and (age-appropriately) with the child, developmental and school history, standardized questionnaires for parents and teachers, and play- or conversation-based observation. Learning, attention, and developmental screening are integrated. Parents receive a clear formulation — what is going on, why, and the step-wise plan — never just a label.
Treatment Options
• Behavioural therapy and play-based approaches for younger children • CBT adapted for adolescents — anxiety, depression, exam stress • Parent management training — the most powerful intervention for behaviour problems • Family sessions to reduce conflict and align both parents on strategy • School collaboration — teacher strategies, accommodations, exam concessions where applicable • Structured digital-wellness plans for screen addiction — realistic, staged, family-wide • Medication only when clearly indicated (e.g., moderate-to-severe ADHD, depression), with careful dosing, monitoring, and parental consent at every step
Why Early Intervention Matters
Childhood problems left untreated don't stay childhood-sized: untreated anxiety becomes adult anxiety, unaddressed behaviour problems harden, and years of academic failure corrode self-esteem permanently. Early intervention works with a still-developing brain — outcomes are faster, gentler, and more complete than at any later age. The best time to act is when you first find yourself wondering whether to.
Why Choose Dr. Parth Vaishnav
Parents in Ahmedabad choose Dr. Parth Vaishnav for child and teen care because evaluation is unhurried and child-friendly, parents are treated as partners rather than culprits, medication is a considered last-line rather than a first reflex, and guidance is practical for real Indian households — joint families, academic pressure, and all. Teenagers are given respectful, confidential space of their own within legal and safety limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this mental health service and treatment options.
Use three filters: duration (persisting beyond a few weeks), pervasiveness (problems at home AND school), and impact (grades, friendships, family life, or the child's own happiness suffering). Ordinary phases pass and stay situation-specific; disorders persist and spread. When in doubt, a single evaluation gives clarity — it commits you to nothing.
Not by default. For most childhood concerns — behaviour problems, mild anxiety, exam stress, screen issues — therapy and parent training come first and often suffice. Medication is recommended only for clear indications like moderate-to-severe ADHD or depression, discussed transparently with parents, started at low doses, and monitored closely. You remain part of every decision.
Yes, and it's often the right first step. A parents-only session helps assess the situation and plan an approach your teen may accept — framing the visit around sleep, focus, or stress rather than 'mental problems' usually works. Many reluctant teenagers engage well once they experience a respectful, non-lecturing conversation.
Broad guidance: no routine screen time under 2 years, up to one supervised hour for ages 2–5, and consistent limits with screen-free meals and bedrooms for older children. More important than minutes is displacement — if screens are eating into sleep, outdoor play, studies, or family conversation, or removal triggers rage, intervention is needed. We build staged, realistic family plans rather than sudden bans that backfire.
Yes — this is exam/performance anxiety, extremely common in India's high-stakes academic culture, and very responsive to treatment. CBT techniques, exam-simulation practice, breathing regulation, and study-pattern correction typically show results within weeks. For board or entrance-exam years, starting a few months ahead gives the best outcome. Parental pressure patterns are gently addressed too — often half the cure.
Asking directly does not plant ideas — research consistently shows it brings relief and opens the door to help. If you notice self-harm marks, hopeless talk, giving away possessions, or statements about death, ask calmly, listen without scolding, and seek professional help promptly. In any acute crisis, contact a hospital emergency department or the national Tele-MANAS helpline (14416) immediately.