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Know
When to Seek Help for Your Child
Parents
are usually the first to recognize that their child has a
problem with emotions or behavior. Still, the decision to
seek professional help can be difficult and painful for a
parent. The first step is to gently try to talk to the child.
An honest open talk about feelings can often help. Parents
may choose to consult with the child's physicians, teachers,
members of the clergy, or other adults who know the child
well. These steps may resolve the problems for the child and
family.
Following
are a few signs which may indicate that a child and adolescent
psychiatric evaluation will be useful.
YOUNGER
CHILDREN
- Marked
fall in school performance.
- Poor
grades in school despite trying very hard.
- A lot
of worry or anxiety, as shown by regular refusal to go to
school, go to sleep or take part in activities that are
normal for the child's age.
- Hyperactivity;
fidgeting; constant movement beyond regular playing.
- Persistent
nightmares.
- Persistent
disobedience or aggression (longer than 6 months) and provocative
opposition to authority figures.
- Frequent,
unexplainable temper tantrums.
PRE-ADOLESCENTS
AND ADOLESCENTS
- Marked
change in school performance.
- Inability
to cope with problems and daily activities.
- Marked
changes in sleeping and/or eating habits.
- Many
physical complaints.
- Sexual
acting out.
- Depression
shown by sustained, prolonged negative mood and attitude,
often accompanied by poor appetite, difficulty sleeping
or thoughts of death.
- Abuse
of alcohol and/or drugs.
- Intense
fear of becoming obese with no relationship to actual body
weight, purging food or restricting eating.
- Persistent
nightmares.
- Threats
of self-harm or harm to others.
- Self-injury
or self destructive behavior.
- Frequent
outbursts of anger, aggression.
- Threats
to run away.
- Aggressive
or non-aggressive consistent violation of rights of others;
opposition to authority, truancy, thefts, or vandalism.
- Strange
thoughts and feelings; and unusual behaviors.
If problems
persist over an extended period of time and especially if
others involved in the child's life are concerned, consultation
with a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other clinician
specifically trained to work with children may be helpful.
See other
Facts for Families, #25 "Know Where to Seek Help for
Your Child,"
#29 "Children's Major Psychiatric Disorders,"
#52 "Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation,"
#22 "Normality,"
#57 and #58 Normal Adolescents the Early and Later Years.
Your Child (1998 Harper Collins)/Your Adolescent
(1999 Harper Collins)
Article
#24 Updated 9/99
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All
Family Resources wishes to thank the (AACAP) for giving
us permission to use this article.
The
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
represents over 6,900 child and adolescent psychiatrists
who are physicians with at least five years of additional
training beyond medical school in general (adult) and child
and adolescent psychiatry.
Facts
for Families© is developed and distributed by the American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).
Facts sheets may be reproduced for personal or educational
use without written permission, but cannot be included in
material presented for sale. To order full sets of FFF,
contact Public Information, 1.800.333.7636. Free
distribution of individual Facts sheets is a public service
of the AACAP Special Friends of Children Fund. Please
make a tax deductible contribution to the AACAP Special
Friends of Children Fund and support this important public
outreach. (AACAP, Special Friends of Children Fund, P.O.
Box 96106, Washington, D.C. 20090).
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