Sometimes it may be difficult to acknowledge that you to need seek outside help for a problem your child is having. However, according to KidsHealth, children can benefit from therapy or counseling as much as adults can. Therapy for your child may be on an individual, family or group basis. The type of therapy may also vary, such as cognitive behavioral therapy for kids coping with stress or depression, or psychoanalytic therapy for older children or teens, explains KidsHealth.
Assessment And Diagnosis
You may have an inkling that something isn't quite right with your child, but you may not be sure. Some conditions---such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, autism, anxiety or mood disorders---should be diagnosed by a professional who has specialized knowledge and training in child and adolescent development. A child psychologist can diagnose the problem by conducting a series of tests, such as interviews, observation and psychological observation assessments.
Treatment Recommendations
Once a psychologist has diagnosed your child, he can recommend appropriate therapy. Your child may need to undergo one therapy in particular, or a combination of different therapies, also referred to as multimodal treatment. The latter approach is useful in conditions where there is more than one cause or trigger, such as eating disorders.
Better Parenting Skills
You play an essential role in helping your child to get better. During family therapy or in a one-on-one session with you, a psychologist can suggest parenting strategies that will complement your child's treatment. Child psychologist Robert Myers points out that programs for children with ADHD often focus on training parents. For instance, he explains that the common parenting technique timeout is often misused when parenting children with ADHD. With this sort of insight from your child's psychologist and new, more effective parenting techniques, you'll feel more confident and less stressed about coping with your child's condition.
Drug-free Approaches
As a parent, you may be worried about treating an emotional or behavioral disorder your child has with medications. According to the American Psychological Association, few psychiatric drugs, such as antidepressants or stimulants, have been tested on children. Child psychologists will work with you to create a drug-free school or home-based plan. It will also include working with key people in your child's life, such as your pediatrician and school counselor to help her cope.
References
- KidsHealth from Nemours: Taking Your Child to a Therapist
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: The Child And Adolescent Psychiatrist
- CNN: Clinical Psychologist
- Canadian Psychological Association: Psychology Quick Facts
- World Psychiatry: The Multimodal Treatment of Eating Disorders: World Psychiatry: 2005
