Category: Education

Adolescent and Pediatric Psychiatry

We at Bayside Pediatrics recognize that parents are usually the first to notice that their child is struggling with emotions or behavior and the decision to seek psychiatric help can be difficult. Pediatricians are the first line of defense for child/adolescent mental health issues. However, many children need the expertise of an experienced child/adolescent psychiatrist. As pediatricians, we are often asked to give the same amount of time to a simple ear infection as to a complicated behavioral concern.

Bayside Pediatrics offers a co-location of psychiatry services to allow for a soft hand off of a patient who is in need of specialized mental health services.

Dr. Labellarte has extensive experience in the medical and psychiatric community. He is sought out within the physician community for his extensive knowledge of psychopharmacological safety and efficacy of medication. Dr. Labellarte is an expert in specific disorders that appear during childhood, including anxiety disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, learning disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette’s disorder, and behavioral problems. He has experience working with therapists, schools, and the court system in order to generate the correct treatment plans for each individual patient.

For Adolescent and Pediatric Psychiatry appointments, Dr. Labellarte does NOT participate with ANY insurance.

Behavioral/Developmental Health

Pediatricians encounter a broad range of emotional, developmental and behavioral problems on a daily basis. At Bayside Pediatrics we are especially tuned into the mental health needs of the children, adolescents, and families that we care for, and try to address concerns as they arise. We see our role in identifying, treating and referring children to the appropriate resources as critical to providing excellent pediatric care.

Many behavioral issues can be best understood in the context of the child’s developmental level, and while the symptoms may be serious enough to disrupt your family’s life, they may not be serious enough to warrant a diagnosis of a specific emotional disorder. We are able to help sort out which problems need more intense interventions and can help link you to the appropriate resources in the community.

There are clear benefits to the early identification and initiation of interventions for a wide variety of childhood mental health issues. Since, as your pediatrician, we are closely involved in your child’s life across the years, we have a unique opportunity to address early the problems that, if unresolved, can lead to significant mental health problems later in life. If you call for an appointment to address specific behavioral or developmental concerns we can schedule a visit that gives us sufficient time to adequately discuss your concerns.