Child Psychology: The Top Signs Your Child Should See a Psychologist
In 2013, 63 countries worldwide reported that 6.7% of children 5 to 17 years of age were diagnosed with a mental disorder.
If you notice that your child struggles with making friends or often has discipline for behavioral issues at school, they may need help. Discussing concerns at a child psychology appointment can bring a sense of relief to you and your child.
What Does Child Psychology Help With?
How can child psychology help children with emotional or behavioral problems?
A Child Psychologist is a licensed clinical psychologist who applies scientific knowledge of child development and counseling skills to support child cognitive, emotional, and social development.. They work with infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents.
The Psychologist works with a child individually as well as the whole family in order to understand support the child’s socio-emotional change, cognitive development, behavior, and emotional well-being.
Problems Addressed by a Child Psychologist
Many psychological problems are interrelated with biological and psychological factors. Some social events may also be traumatic and scary for the child.
Some challenges may include:
Physical or biological weaknesses
Emotional and developmental struggles
Diagnosed mental disorders
Cognitive deficits
Significant trauma and loss
Health problems
Poor coping strategies and increased stress related to developmental change
Problems with social interactions
Psychologists can provide advice and develop a plan of how to help the child overcome those challenges and promote healthy development.
It is important to remember that seeing a child psychologist is necessary when there is a developed problem. It is better to be proactive and seek advice if in doubt or wishing the child to develop stronger communication, social, or coping skills.
Signs That My Child Needs to See a Child Psychologist
We all experience stress and struggle during our formative years. How do we know when a child is having excessive problems that require help from a psychologist?
This list of guidelines can help you decide when to seek help. Does your child:
Have problems in several areas of their life including family relationships, school performance, leisure activities, and friendships
Feel less confident or less effective or even bad about themselves
Worry about their future more than normal
Show signs of hopelessness
Isolate themselves from family, friends, or activities they used to enjoy
Demonstrate changes in sleep habits or appetite patterns
Participate in negative behavior
Demonstrate repetitive self-destructive behaviors such as hair-pulling, skin picking, or cutting.
Make comments like, “No one would miss me if I were gone”, or “I wish I never existed”.
Describe specific suicide plans
Don’t hesitate to discuss these concerns with your child when you feel in your gut that something is not right, but can’t figure it out on your own. Don’t wait for it to go away. Ask them if they feel like they need help with this problem.
Goals of Treatment with a Child Psychologist
The first step involves understanding family dynamics, school circumstances, and psychological characteristics of the child. Once the background situation is understood, an action plan with goals and proposed activities is developed and shared with the parents.
Therapy starts with building trust during interpersonal interaction. Depending on the age group, the psychologist may choose various effective interventions: play psychotherapy (ages 3+), art therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (older children and teenagers), etc. The psychologist can help the client describe inner dialogues and explore what is real. Improved coping strategies for addressing these thoughts and feelings can prove essential to healing.
They may also carry out specific psychoeducational assessments if the child struggles with studies and recommend a neuropsychological program.
Are You Ready to Consider Psychology Counseling Services?
In today’s busy, high demanding world, many people of all ages experience emotional and mood disorders. Stress comes from many different sources including family, friends, social norms, school, and work. If notice that your child seems to struggle emotionally or behaviorally, they may benefit from an appointment with a child psychologist.
Explore our site further to learn about the varied services available to help people of all ages. Then contact us today to ask questions and schedule an appointment.
