According
to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999),
1 in 5 will experience signs and symptoms of a psychiatric
disorder during the course of the year. Some nine million
children have serious emotional problems at any point in time.
Yet, only 1 in 5 of these children are receiving appropriate
treatment. When parents or teachers suspect that a child may
have an emotional problem, they should seek a comprehensive
evaluation by a mental health professional specifically trained
to work with children and adolescents. Signs and symptoms
of childhood and adolescent emotional problems may include:
- School
problems
- Frequent
fighting
- Trouble
sleeping
- Feeling
sad
- Thoughts
about suicide or running away
- Stealing
or lying
- Mood
swings
- Setting
fires
- Obsessive
thoughts or compulsive behaviors
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- Excessive
weight loss or gain
- Troubling
or disturbing thoughts
- Use
of drugs or alcohol
- Withdraw
or isolation
- Injuring
or killing animals
- Dangerous
or self destructive behavior
- Trouble
paying attention
- Anxiety
or frequent worries
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Throughout
the evaluation process, parents should be directly involved
and ask many questions. It's important to make sure you understand
the results of the evaluation, your child's diagnosis, and
the full range of treatment options. If parents are not comfortable
with a particular clinician, treatment option, or are confused
about specific recommendations, they should consider a second
opinion.
Before
a child begins treatment, parents may also want to ask the
following:
- What
are the recommended treatment options for my child?
- How
will I be involved with my child's treatment?
- How
will we know if the treatment is working?
- How
long should it take before I see improvement?
- Does
my child need medication?
- What
should I do if the problems get worse?
- What
are the arrangements if I need to reach you after-hours
or in an emergency?
You may
also need to advocate to have your child seen in a timely
way, by the most appropriate clinician. Most insurance plans
now include some form of managed care, which may utilize provider
panels with few mental health professionals. However, many
states now have laws concerning reasonable access to specialists.
If you have problems or questions, try calling the Department
of Insurance, the Patient Ombudsman/Advocate, or the Department
of Consumer Affairs at your insurance company.
Ongoing
parental involvement and support are essential to the overall
success of treatment. Depending on the nature of your child's
problems, it may also be important to involve the school,
community agencies, and/or juvenile justice system. In addition,
it may be helpful to learn how to access other support services
such as respite, parent skill building, or home-based programs.
Local advocacy groups can also provide valuable information,
experience and support for parents.
Although
serious emotional problems are common in childhood and adolescence,
they are also highly treatable. By advocating for early identification,
comprehensive evaluation and appropriate intervention, parents
can make sure their children get the help they need, and reduce
the risk of long term emotional difficulties.
For additional
information see Facts for Families: #00 Definition of a Child
and Adolescent Psychiatrist, #24 Know When to Seek Help for
Your Child, #25 Know Where to Seek Help for Your Child, #26
Know Your Health Insurance Benefits, and #52 Comprehensive
Psychiatric Evaluation. See also: Your Child (1998
Harper Collins)/Your Adolescent (1999 Harper Collins),
Surgeon General's Report (1999).
For
more information about parent advocacy, contact: |
Federation
of Families for Children's Mental Health
(703) 684-7710
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
www.ffcmh.org
|
National
Alliance of the Mentally Ill
Colonial Place Three
(703) 524-7600
2107 Wilson Blvd-3rd Floor
Arlington, VA 22201
www.nami.org
|
National
Mental Health Association
(703) 684-7722
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
www.nmha.org |
Article
# 74 Updated 02/00
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