Specialty Areas: ADHD, Autism, Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Dr. Shatkin is a nationally-renowned expert in autism and ADHD treatment in children and adolescents. He is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, the vice chair for education in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and an associate professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the NYU School of Medicine. He directs the child and adolescent psychiatry residency training program at the NYU Child Study Center and the Bellevue Hospital Center. He is a radio host for the weekly show, "About Our Kids," on Sirius' Radio's nationally broadcasted series, "Dr. Radio." In addition, Dr. Shatkin is the director of undergraduate studies for the NYU College of Arts and Sciences' Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies (CAMS) Minor, the first child and adolescent mental health college minor in the country.

Dr. Shatkin earned his M.D. from the State University of New York at Brooklyn and his M.P.H. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of California at Los Angeles Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital. Dr. Shatkin is the recipient of numerous awards for health policy and education and was selected in 2004 as one of six nationwide American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Teaching Scholars.

Phone Numbers:

Direct: (212) 263-4769
Clinical and Patient Matters: (212) 263-2477
CAMS Minor and Grand Rounds: (212) 263-4796
Residency Program: (212) 263-2072

Dr. Shatkin acted as executive producer for "Be CAP-tivated," a 10 minute film produced by the Workforce Committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and its Campaign for America's Kids. It documents a "day in the life" of four young and engaging child and adolescent psychiatrists, including the CSC's Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw.

Included in 2007–2008 Best Doctors in America database, a leading resource linking consumers to expert medical care

Books by Dr. Shatkin

Treating Child and Adolescent Mental Illness teaches parents, therapists, and doctors everything they need to know about psychopathology in kids. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry remains the most underserved of all medical specialties, and it’s only too clear that we’ll never have enough doctors to meet the need. This text was written with the intent of providing primary care doctors, therapists, and parents with an understanding of child and adolescent mental illness and how to treat it. Organized around a range of common disorders for easy reference, this book emphasizes evidence-based practices to explain the process of diagnosis and treatment.

In the News

The Crying Game: Understanding Baby Cries
Dr. Jess Shatkin spoke to Education.com about understanding your baby's cries. He emphasized the importance of open line of communication with your child's pediatrician and bringing up any concerns you might have with them. Click here to read the article. (January 18, 2012)

Med School Mental Health Faculty Try to Spark Undergrads' Interest
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Minor (CAMS) was featured in an article in Psychiatric News. Dr. Shatkin explained that some students may go on to careers in the child mental health field, but the larger value of the program is the increased knowledge and insight it provides for future parents and future professionals of any stripe. Click here to read the full story. (October 21, 2011) 

Prescriptions for Stimulants, Painkillers Soaring Among Youth: Trend Mirrors Similar Increase in Misuse of These Powerful Medications, Study Authors Note
Dr. Shatkin talked to US News and World Report, HealthDay about a new study on the increased prescribing rates of controlled medications for adolescents. Increased prescribing rates for controlled medications is not a new phenomenon, and many believe that some of it has to do with recent initiatives to make sure pain isn't undertreated. According to Dr. Shatkin, "We believe we've been underusing pain medicine and sedative-hypnotic medications because we have been so concerned about the potential for abuse." Click here to read the full article. (November 30, 2010)

Inside The Teenage Brain
Jess P. Shatkin, M.P.H., M.D., spoke to Parade Magazine about the teenage brain. In the past few years, research has shown that the teenage brain is still very much a work in progress and functions quite differently from an adult's and that continue to develop well into their 20s. At birth, our brains have an operating system loaded and primed for growth. A study of 145 kids and adolescents scanned every two years at the NIH has shown that there's another huge surge right before adolescence, followed by a process of "pruning" those connections in a kind of use-it-or-lose-it strategy. According to Dr. Shatkin, "If you're a chess player or an athlete, the areas of the brain responsible for those skills will continue to develop -- while other skills will fade away." To read the entire article, click here. (November 28, 2010)

NYU's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies Undergraduate Minor Receives Education Award at Annual Meeting
Our CAMS program, run by Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., was honored at ACOP's Annual Meeting this year in February. ACOP's Summer 2010 Newsletter includes Dr. Shatkin's acceptance speech. (June 2010) 

Psychiatry Facing Challenges
Jess P. Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Education and Training, spoke to the South Bend Tribune about the shortage of medical students deciding to go into psychiatry. (April 19, 2010)

Antidepressant Update
Dr. Jess Shatkin, Director of Education and Training at the NYU Child Study Center, spoke to NY1 about the new study that found the benefits of antidepressants outweigh the risks. (April 17, 2007)

Keep Out of Reach of Children
Dr. Jess Shatkin spoke to MSN.com about diagnosing psychiatric disorders in young children and using drug therapy as a treatment method. (March 30, 2007)

What's a Tooth Worth?
Dr. Jess Shatkin was interviewed for an online video for the Wall Street Journal (requires a subscription for access) in conjunction with an article on the price today's tooth fairy pays for a lost tooth. (March 12, 2007)

Diagnosing and Treating Young Children with Psychiatric Disorders
Dr. Jess Shatkin appeared on the CBS Evening News to talk about diagnosing and treating young children with psychiatric disorders. Dr. Shatkin said drugs should be used cautiously and in addition to behavioral therapy. (March 11, 2007)

TV Habits Have No Impact on Teen Exercise
Dr. Jess Shatkin spoke to HealthDay about a new study which finds that the amount of time teens spend watching television actually has no relationship to their level of physical activity. Dr. Shatkin cautioned drawing too many conclusions from the data without taking into account the impact of socio-economic factors, such as whether the child lives in an area where s/he can safely play outside or if s/he can afford to join sports classes. (February 5, 2007)

An Interview with Dr. Jess Shatkin: About Depression in Infants and Children
A Q and A with Dr. Jess Shatkin was posted on EducationNews.org. Dr. Shatkin talked about the challenges of diagnosing depression in infants and children. (December 6, 2006)

Should Your Baby See a Shrink?
Dr. Jess Shatkin appeared on Good Morning America to talk about depression in infants. He pointed to studies showing that one in 40 infants experience "baby blues," and said that the mental health of parents can have an effect on the child. (November 9, 2006)

Don't Blame TV for ADHD Symptoms
Dr. Jess Shatkin talks to HealthDay about new study findings linking ADHD and television viewing habits. (March 6, 2006)

Dr. Ruth Speaks to New Sex Ed Class
Dr. Jess Shatkin's course, "Success in College: Thriving at NYU" was covered by Washington Square News (PDF) when Dr. Ruth Westheimer spoke to the class. (February 8, 2006)