95 A Child Psychiatrist's Perspective for PCP's: Leave the "Fix It" Mindset at the Exam Door

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Welcome to Pediatric Meltdown, the podcast for busy pediatricians who want to better understand children's emotional health and behaviors and gain the skills and knowledge to help them thrive. I am your host, Lia Gaggino, Today we are joined by Dr. Sarah Mohiuddin.

Dr. Mohiuddin is the Director of the Multidisciplinary Autism Program at the University of Michigan. She also is the fellowship training director of the Child Psychiatry Fellowship Program at Michigan Medicine and co-director of behavioral science sequence at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is passionate about educating medical students, residents, fellows and other physicians about childhood mental health and care of individuals with ASD and developmental disabilities across the lifespan.

In a surprising, at least to me, conversation, child psychiatrist Dr. Mohiuddin shares a new mental healthcare perspective for PCP's - abandon the "fix it" mindset and instead consider a chronic illness model that focuses on partnership with the patient and family to identify their most important concerns. Her insights suggest that using our longitudinal relationship with families, we can make enormous impact. For those of us who are overwhelmed by the notion of mental health care is primary care, Dr. Mohiuddin suggests reframing our negative self-talk and setting positive intentions for the day - "You've Got This!" comes to mind for me. Deep breath, you know more than you think you do!

Key Highlights:

[00:30 - 09:04] Dr. Sarah Mohiuddin on How to Address Overwhelming Mental Health Needs in Pediatric Patients

• Welcoming back, Dr. Sarah Mohiuddin is a child psychiatrist and director of the multidisciplinary autism program at the University of Michigan.
• She also is the fellowship training director of the child psychiatry fellowship program at Michigan Medicine and co-director of behavioral science sequence at the University of Michigan Medical School.
• She is passionate about educating medical students, residents, fellows, and other physicians about childhood mental health and care of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities across the lifespan.
• During the course of becoming a physician, she believes that breaking down patients and building them up is important, but can lose pieces

[09:05 - 25:56] How to Address the System of What's Going On at School, but Not Everything Has to Be Achieved in a Visit

• Pediatric clinicians need to reframe their job as a partnership with patients and families, rather than “Fixing” things
• Mental health is similar to medical issues in that there are acute exacerbations and chronic stressors that cannot always be fixed\
• It is important for pediatric clinicians to listen to patients and understand their values in order to help them make change
• Mental Health Conditions: It's Not Just About Fixing Them