The two groups of children and adolescents seen for emergency psychiatric treatment were studied in an attempt to determine what constitutes an emergency in child psychiatry, whose anxiety initiates consultation, what the precipitating factors are and how they can be predicted, and to ascertain who is crucial to the management of these problems. The first group was composed of 100 families, seen in a large community psychiatric clinic. The second was composed of 50 families, seen in private psychiatric practices. An emergency in child psychiatry is defined as that situation in which the significant adults around the child can no longer help him master his anxiety or provide ego support and controls. Notable differences between groups were found in age and sex, social class, family intactness, and type of behavior considered grounds for consultation by the referring source. Treatment approaches are suggested which are based on early intervention, consideration of the child's susceptibility to separation from significant adults, and the mobilization of family and community resources. (BP)