Danger Signals in Your Child's Behavior
Page Four
Helping the At-Risk Child
In summary, any one or a combination of these emotional or behavioral signals may indicate that a child is headed for problems in the future. If your child has some of these signals, don't minimize them. I have been told numerous times by parents that they assumed their child would "just grow out of it." But children usually don't just grow out of these types of problems: they usually have to be helped out of them!
When you see a child repeatedly exhibiting one or more of these characteristics, take measures to help him. You can begin by talking over the behavior with your spouse without the child being present. Ask yourselves, "What is causing Johnny to act the way he does?" Then try to be especially attentive to your child and make an effort to understand how he or she might be feeling. Very often parents can, within a few days or a couple of weeks, come up with the causes of negative patterns of behavior.
Once you identify the problem, make the adjustments your family needs to remedy the problem. It may simply be more individual or small group time with your child. It may mean overcoming your own tendency toward being critical or a workaholic, or your hesitancy to freely express positive emotions toward your child. Or it may mean working out some sibling problem. Read up on the problems your child is showing and take action to help him overcome them. There is much that sensitive parents can do before deciding that your child needs special study and assistance.
In some instances, however, you won't be able to identify the causes or provide solutions without professional help. When that is the case, don't hesitate to seek out a qualified professional. I recommend seeing a Christian professional if at all possible since he or she can help you address the spiritual as well as the emotional and physical aspects of the problem.
Here are five types of mental health professionals that might be able to help you and a brief description of the types of work they each usually do.
School and Educational Psychologists: School psychologists have at least a masters degree in psychology, as well as supervised experience working with children in school settings. They often have another year of study beyond the masters degree and they specialize in the diagnosis of problems related to children's performance and behavior in school.
School psychologists generally carry out their work within a public school system. Some consult with smaller private schools as well. Licensed educational psychologists have similar (sometimes identical) training and preparation but they may work in private practice or with a group of other mental health practitioners. Because they often work outside of public school settings, many educational psychologists can devote more time to counseling and individual remediation than psychologists working in the public schools. Depending on their specialty, they can be very helpful working with children with either learning or behavioral difficulties. Both school and educational psychologists generally have special expertise in the assessment of intelligence and learning disabilities.
Clinical psychologists: Clinical psychologists hold a doctorate in clinical psychology as well as a license to practice within a given state. They have training in both psychological assessment and counseling and therapy. Child clinical psychologists have chosen to focus on working with children during and/or after their doctoral training. Depending on their sub-specialty, clinical psychologists can diagnose and treat a range of psychological adjustment problems of children. They generally do not have as much emphasis on learning disabilities as school and educational psychologists do. But they tend to have more training and experience in diagnosis and treatment of emotional problems. Some clinical psychologists also work with families.
Marital or family therapists: Marital or family therapists hold at least a master's degree (and sometimes a doctorate) in counseling with an emphasis on couples and families. If your child's problem reflects unresolved stresses or conflicts in your marriage and family, such therapists can be very helpful. Most marriage or family counselors do not specialize in the psychological assessment of learning disabilities and related school problems. They also do not specialize in working with individuals. They focus more on the social or interpersonal aspects of adjustment, especially in family systems.
Psychiatrists: Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have taken a minimum of two years residency in psychiatry after completing medical school. They specialize in the diagnosis and medical treatment of more severe psychological disorders. If your child is showing signs of extremely serious psychological maladjustment, or is in need of medication, a child psychiatrist may be the most helpful professional for you to consult.
Finding a Christian Mental Health Professional
We are fortunate to live in an age where there are many fine Christian mental health professionals who work with children and families. As you look for a counselor, don't be afraid to ask several questions like the following: "What is your specialty?" "Have you worked with many children with problems like Johnny's?" "What licenses or credentials do you hold?" and "Spiritual values are important to us. Do you look at the spiritual side of problems?"
If you need a Christian counselor, here are some ways to find a helpful one:
The Narramore Christian Foundation also maintains a referral list of Christian psychologists and counselors throughout the United States. Our mailing address is:
Narramore Christian Foundation
P. O. Box 661900
Arcadia, California 91066-1900
U.S.A.
Feel free, also, to phone us about a referral in your area:
Phone: 626/821-8400
Fax: 626/821-8409
We seek to bring Christian help to a hurting world. Feel free to call or write us for suggestions as to your proper course of action when you note Danger Signals in Your Child's Behavior!
© 2001 Narramore Christian Foundation
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Dr. Clyde Narramore is the Founder of the Narramore Christian Foundation, was President for half-a-century, and is a well-known radio and conference speaker, and author.
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