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When to Bring Your Child to A Pediatric Psychiatrist

bored male child being addressed by female therapist

Are you concerned about your child’s gradual behavioral issues?  Do you notice that his mood swings have gotten worse over the past few months?  Is your child’s mental health causing him to fail in school consistently? Is discipline becoming more difficult each day?  If so, then it might be time to bring him to a pediatric psychiatrist.  A pediatric psychiatrist is a person who diagnoses and treats behavioral or psychological disorders in children.  They perform diagnostic evaluations then make diagnoses and discuss treatment options with the parents.  The treatment might include psychotherapy, medication, or behavior modification methods.  Here are signs that you should bring your child to a pediatric psychiatrist.

Your Child Exhibits Potential Symptoms of Certain Disorders

If you feel that your child might exhibit signs of disorders such as ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder, then you should bring him to a psychiatrist.  The psychiatrist can ask you plenty of questions about your child’s symptoms and then he would perform a thorough evaluation before diagnosing your child.  You don’t want to assume that your child has a disorder because he exhibits certain behaviors.  All children experience mood swings, anxiety, and low self-esteem at various times in their lives.

Issues With Anger Management

If your child’s anger issues have gotten out of hand, then assistance from a psychiatrist might work for him.  Maybe your child yells or even hits you, your spouse, or his siblings.  Or he lashes out by breaking his gadgets and toys whenever he’s frustrated.  This is a warning sign that he needs help.

Trauma or Grief

For kids who experienced intense grief due to the loss of a loved one, then this might require counseling from a psychiatrist if the grief is causing them to act out in harmful ways.  Or it could be that your child experienced sexual or physical abuse from a relative or dating partner. This might call for professional help. If your child needs a pediatric psychiatrist, contact us.  We can offer compassionate and effective therapy that will help your child thrive despite any emotional and mental challenges that your child has.