Dr Karolina Szumanska-Ryt

She specialises in the assessment and treatment of autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, self-harm and Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) in children and young people aged 5–18. She is a pioneer of the strengths-and-needs model, steering Eton's child and adolescent service firmly away from the traditional deficit framing, and has co-authored peer-reviewed neurodevelopmental research on autism and neurofibromatosis type 1 (including the SANTA trial).

Who I am

I am Dr Karolina Szumanska-Ryt, a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist working with children and young people aged 5 to 18. I lead Eton CAMHS — our Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service — and I am the Autism Lead within our child and adolescent MDT.

I have a wealth of experience in the assessment and treatment of a wide range of mental health problems and emotional difficulties affecting children and young people, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, deliberate self-harm, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). My goal is simple: to help your child reach their full potential and thrive.

I understand how deeply these difficulties can crush a young person's self-esteem and cause real suffering for the whole family. I am here, ready to help.

Why child and adolescent psychiatry

I was drawn to a career in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry because of my love of working with children and their families, and because of the opportunity it provides for early intervention — the long-term positive impact of which can reshape the life trajectory of a child and their entire family.

Training and NHS experience

I completed my core psychiatric training in Cork and Kerry, Ireland. I then moved to England and spent time on an Adolescent Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at the Priory Hospital before completing my specialist training in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in Manchester.

On completion of specialist training I was appointed as a Consultant at Galaxy House, a Children's Psychiatric Inpatient Unit in central Manchester, where I cared for children and young people with neurodevelopmental difficulties (ADHD and autism), complex eating disorders, depression, anxiety, psychosis, OCD and Pervasive Arousal Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). I worked in NHS psychiatry for 9 years before moving into private practice in 2022.

Leading Eton CAMHS — strengths and needs, not deficits

At Eton, I lead our Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service. I am a pioneer of the strengths-and-needs model of assessment and care, and I have deliberately steered our service away from the deficit framing that still dominates much of UK CAMHS.

What that means in practice: every child I see is understood first as a whole person — with a profile of abilities, interests, sensory needs, communication style, family context and environment — before any diagnostic label is attached. Reports are written around what your child is good at, what they find harder, and what needs to be adjusted around them so they can thrive. Labels are tools, not identities.

My approach — holistic, whole-family, evidence-based

I take a holistic, whole-family approach. I appreciate that the journey to seek a psychiatric assessment is often long, stressful and emotionally heavy. It can feel daunting for a child, and for parents, and I strive to create a safe, calm environment that puts you at ease from the first appointment.

Together, we explore the journey that has led you to seek assessment. We work collaboratively to understand the difficulties your child is experiencing — and the strengths and protective elements within your family. From there we choose evidence-based options that align with best practice and with your family's needs and preferences. Safe, bespoke care is at the centre of everything I do.

Special interests

I have a particular clinical and academic interest in supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder — including girls and high-masking young people, autism presenting alongside ADHD (AuDHD), and autism presenting alongside trauma, anxiety or disordered eating. I am also interested in animal-assisted therapy and its role in helping neurodivergent children feel regulated and understood.

Research

I have contributed to peer-reviewed neurodevelopmental research, including:

• Cognitive and Electrophysiological Correlates of Working Memory Impairments in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 — Pobric, Taylor, Ramalingam, Pye, Robinson, Vassallo, Jung, Bhandary, Szumanska-Ryt, Theodosiou, Evans, Eelloo, Burkitt-Wright, Hulleman, Green, Garg.
• Randomised controlled trial of simvastatin treatment for autism in young children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (SANTA) — Stivaros, Garg, Tziraki, Cai, Thomas, Mellor, Morris, Jim, Szumanska-Ryt, Parkes, Haroon, Montaldi, Webb, Keane, Castellanos, Silva, Huson, Williams, Evans, Emsley, Green and the SANTA Consortium.