When To Seek Help For Your Child | American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

When To Seek Help For Your Child

No. 24; Updated March 2011
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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
Severe 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
Frequent physical complaints
Hyperactivity; fidgeting; constant movement beyond regular playing with or without difficulty paying attention
Persistent nightmares
Persistent disobedience or aggression (longer than 6 months) and provocative opposition to authority figures
Frequent, unexplainable temper tantrums
Threatens to harm or kill oneself

PRE-ADOLESCENTS AND ADOLESCENTS

Marked decline in school performance
Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
Marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
Extreme difficulties in concentrating that get in the way at school or at home
Sexual acting out
Depression shown by sustained, prolonged negative mood and attitude, often accompanied by poor appetite, difficulty sleeping or thoughts of death
Severe mood swings
Strong worries or anxieties that get in the way of daily life, such as at school or socializing
Repeated use of alcohol and/or drugs
Intense fear of becoming obese with no relationship to actual body weight, excessive dieting, throwing up or using laxatives to loose weight
Persistent nightmares
Threats of self-harm or harm to others
Self-injury or self destructive behavior
Frequent outbursts of anger, aggression
Repeated threats to run away
Aggressive or non-aggressive consistent violation of rights of others; opposition to authority, truancy, thefts, or vandalism
Strange thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or unusual behaviors

If problems persist over an extended period of time or if others involved in the child's life are concerned, consider speaking with your seeking a consultation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist or a trained mental health professional.

See other Facts for Families:
#25 Where to Seek Help for Your Child
#52 Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
#22 Normality
#57 Normal Adolescent Development, Middle School, and Early High School Years
#58 Normal Adolescent Development, Late High School Year and Beyond
#00 Definition of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

See also: Your Child (1998 Harper Collins) / Your Adolescent (1999 Harper Collins)

Click here to order Your Child from Harper Collins
Click here to order Your Adolescent from Harper Collins

Excerpts from Your Child on When and Where to Seek Help

Parents are often in the best position to recognize when their child is having a problem. Even when parents do recognize that their child is having trouble, it is not always apparent that professional help is necessary.

The first step in assessing the cause of your child's difficulty is to ask him. Sometimes, gently asking your child questions Why are you constantly sad? Why did you steal that toy from Annie's house? You seem upset, is something bothering you? Why are you so mad? ‑ will reveal the issues with which he's struggling. Giving him adequate time to respond is necessary; talking honestly with your child about his feelings may also be helpful.

Consulting your child's physician or teacher, or your minister, priest, or rabbi may help you identify problems‑both in the child and within the family ‑ that could be causing the upset. Frequently, a teacher will notice your child's trouble and call you in. Working together, you can often get the child back on track before schoolwork or social interaction is affected.

As a rule, it is the combination of parents' growing concerns and the observation of outsiders such as teachers, physicians, and family members, that lead parents to consult a clinician for their child. There are a few signs, when present over an extended period time, that indicate that your child has problems which could benefit from treatment.

Excerpts from Your Adolescent on When and Where to Seek Help

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The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) represents over 8,500 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.

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