Many parents seek the help of professionals throughout their child’s development.   From birth to age three, parents that seek out help are often concerned about physical or mental development. This can be a crucial time for early intervention for children deemed at risk (i.e., premature babies, Down’s syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, etc.). The child’s primary care physician is usually the first professional to evaluate the child. While their expertise is centered on physical health, they can refer a child to a specialist when they have concerns. Children aged three to six are also referred for similar concerns, but it is often prompted from the child’s preschool or the parents observe differences in development or behavior that spark concern. It is critical that concerns with particular syndromes or physical development be first addressed through the pediatrician.

 

While these types of concerns account for a small percentage of the population, the majority of concerns that prompt professional consultation occur for behavior (not physiological in origin).  This most often occurs when their child’s behavior has become so concerning or pervasive that it is difficult to overlook and parents suspect this may not be something they “outgrow”. Parents often don’t know where to start the search for support and at first may start with their child’s pediatrician or with their insurance. While this is a good place to start for some, it can often take weeks to book an appointment and the resulting appointment is quite brief with an occasional referral to a psychiatrist or counselor. Insurance often covers limited sessions as a family and can be as little as once a month. When the concerns are behavioral, it is nearly impossible to address and change behavior with contact once or twice month. Most parents search for professionals that have training with children and behavior and are actively looking for a “child behavior psychologist” or “child psychologist”. Unfortunately, there are very few individuals that call themselves “child psychologists”, but instead may be a therapist, psychologist or social worker with extensive training in child development. While level of training is

a good initial indicator, it is not nearly as important as that individual’s area of expertise, overall philosophy and methodologies. A few of the more common specialists that parents may seek include: