When Does a Child Require a Psychologist? Symptoms That Parents Should Pay Attention To

Children have hard times, too. They get frustrated, nervous, upset, become distant, and even get overwhelmed by everything around during their growing up process. But when these difficulties happen for many weeks in a row and affect either studies or relations within the family or are quite unusual for a particular child, parents may ask themselves an essential question: does my child require psychological help?

In this situation, there is no one specific symptom that will show parents if it is time to consult a psychologist. It is necessary to consider the pattern, duration of the problem, and if it interferes with the quality of life.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, persistent or strong emotions and behavior problems that prevent children from normal activities, studying, or playing should be professionally evaluated.

What Symptoms Could Indicate That a Child Needs a Psychologist?

There are certain changes in a child that parents should pay more attention to if they are persistent or affect the child's relationships or studies.

Parents can see:

• Anxiety and worries

• Strong mood or behavior changes

• Emotional outbursts

• Problems with concentration or studying

• Poor performance at school

• Avoiding studying, friends, and activities

• Having frequent headaches or stomachaches for no medical reason

• Changes in sleep and eating habits

• No interest in activities that the child used to like

• Repetitive thoughts or actions

• Problem with handling stress and emotions

It is important to understand that these signs do not indicate any mental problems. Children have different stages of development, and some behaviors are normal. Problems start when symptoms are persistent, strong, and affect the quality of life.

Is it normal childhood behavior or something more serious?

It’s among the toughest questions that parents may face.

Occasionally, a child can have a tantrum. A teenager might have mood swings. Before tests, a child might experience nervousness and find it hard to get used to the new school.

Such problems might be normal.

What sets them apart is the frequency, intensity, duration, and consequences of the behavior.

For example, being nervous about going to school every once in a while is quite a different issue compared to having constant anxiety that results in avoiding school. Also, frustration is a different story compared to emotional episodes that constantly disrupt social relationships at home or school.

The National Institute of Mental Health suggests thinking about consulting an expert in case such emotions and behaviors persist for several weeks or even months, create a lot of discomfort or hinder normal functioning at home, at school, or with peers.

When anxiety becomes a reason to seek help

Children don’t usually talk about their anxiety saying “I’m anxious”.

Instead, anxiety might be expressed as irritability, insomnia, avoidance, somatic complaints, reassurance-seeking, or fear of certain situations.

The CDC mentions that intense and/or long-lasting fears and worries may hinder functioning at school, at home, and during playtime. In addition, anxiety might be related to such physical symptoms as headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue, or insomnia.

In case your child suffers from anxiety regularly, you should consult a pediatrician or another specialist to see if your child needs an evaluation.

But What if a Child is Struggling in School or has Learning Problems?

In some cases, the first sign of problems may actually come from school.

A child might work incredibly hard but still struggle with schoolwork, organization, attention, reading, memory, or task completion. Other kids may see a sudden drop in grades despite previously performing well.

There are many reasons why a child might be having difficulties in these areas. Attention, learning issues, anxiety, stress, developmental concerns, or anything else could be at play here.

That’s where a Neuropsychological Evaluation NYC can sometimes come into play as an assessment that can shed light on a child’s cognitive, learning, attention, memory, and executive functioning.

An evaluation from a psychologist or neuropsychologist is not just about giving a label to a child. It's about understanding a child and knowing how to help.

How Can a Child Psychologist Help?

A Child Psychologist NYC can assess emotional, behavioral, developmental, and psychological concerns and determine what is causing a child's problems.

Depending on the case, treatment can involve the child, parents, family, school, or any combination thereof.

Some children have trouble with anxiety or emotion regulation. Others may struggle with attention, behavior, social interactions, learning, trauma, adjustment, or another concern.

The treatment must always be individualized because children are not all alike.

The CDC also states that mental health professionals can provide treatments based on the individual needs of the child and his/her family. Early intervention helps to avoid future problems in the home, school, and relationships with friends.

When Should Parents Seek an Evaluation?

Parents do not have to wait until the problem gets very serious.

Think about contacting your child's pediatrician, school or a qualified mental health professional if you see consistent, deteriorating or interfering behavior and/or emotions in your child.

When attention or learning is a major concern, parents may want to consider whether a Neuropsychological Evaluation NYC should be carried out.

When anxiety, obsession and/or compulsions become a disruptive factor in the child's behavior, an evaluation will clarify the situation and the possible solutions to the problem.

When trauma results in emotional or behavioral changes, a professional evaluation will help to understand whether PTSD Treatment NY or trauma therapy should be offered to the child.

What Should Parents Do First?

Parents should observe the symptoms before trying to diagnose the problem.

Note:

• When did this start to occur?

• How frequently does this happen?

• Where – home, school, or both?

• What makes it better or worse?

• Does it affect your child's friends, grades, sleep, family life, etc.?

It may be useful to discuss the issue with your child's teacher or pediatrician. According to the NIMH, parents should talk to people who are in touch with your child and share your findings with the healthcare professional.

Further actions will be taken by the professional depending on the results of the evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I take my child to a psychologist?

Children should be seen by psychologists when persistent emotional, behavioral, social and/or school problems interfere with daily functioning.

At what age can a child visit a psychologist?

Children at various developmental stages can receive psychological support depending on their developmental level and individual features.

Should I bring my child to a psychologist for anxiety?

If your child suffers from strong persistent anxiety which impairs school performance, sleep, interactions with friends, family activities or any other aspect of his or her daily routine, you might want to talk about it with your doctor or another mental health professional.

Can difficulties with learning and attention be related to emotional problems?

It might be. Difficulties with learning, paying attention and problems with behavior and emotions can co-exist.

What if I am not sure that the issue requires professional help?

There is no need to make a diagnosis of your child yourself. It is enough if you suspect that the issue exists and impacts child's life in a persistent way.

Helping Your Child Begins With Knowing

Looking for psychological help doesn't mean there is something "wrong" with your child. Sometimes it just means your child has some problems he or she cannot deal with alone and requires more help.

The sooner you realize what is the reason of your child's problems the easier you can understand how to help him or her. Appropriate assessment will help families transition from worries to better understanding of their child.

When searching for a Child Psychologist NYC pay attention to the one who understands your child well and works on developing the individual program.