The author reports on a recent nationwide survey concerning various aspects of child psychiatry in Canada: services, manpower, training and research. Only 150 (out of 1500) psychiatrists devote most of their clinical time and interest to children: the scarcity of manpower and services is found to be more serious for young patients than for adults. Child psychiatry is a well-recognized specialty in the U.S.A. and in most European countries, with its own training requirements and certification criteria. The Canadian Psychiatric Association has endorsed the proposal of its own Section on Child Psychiatry and Mental Retardation, that child psychiatry be considered by the various accreditating bodies (for example The Royal College of Physicians) as a sub-specialty with its own certification mechanisms. Most areas of Canada are now in a position to provide very adequate training in child psychiatry and the present number of annual graduates (25) could easily be increased if an official status and recognition could be granted to those colleagues whose careers will be dedicated to the care of children. Canadian child psychiatrists form a rather eclectic and heterogeneous group as their sources of training have been quite diversified including mainly the academic centres of three countries: U.S.A., Great Britain and France. Such a diversity has proved to be beneficial and has contributed to the dynamic development of this sub-group (if not, sub-specialty) among our psychiatric fraternity.
The Influence of the Family on the Development of Psychosomatic Disorders in Preschool Children With Mental Retardation