When Should I Take My Child to a Psychiatrist/Psychologist?

Many parents, caregivers, or families don’t realize this and the solution available. They don’t get their children to a psychiatrist or psychologist. ‘Meeting the child’s psychological needs is their responsibility, and the majority of them fail to fulfil their duties or obligations,’ shares one of the leading child and adolescent psychologist in Wales. Keeping this in mind, here is everything noted to be known about psychiatrists and psychologists and their role in childcare.

By the end of this post, we hope you will be able to recognise the signs that indicate your child may need a visit to a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Who is a child psychiatrist?

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A child psychiatrist is a medical doctor specialising in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of mental disorders with pharmacological or medical interventions. They have attended psychiatry residence training after medical schooling with additional training on handling children and adolescent patients. They can help manage mental health issues by focusing on the biological and biochemical aspects of the issues.

Who is a child psychologist?

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A child psychologist has a doctorate in child clinical psychology. They are authorised to help children and adolescents cope with behavioural, emotional, and mental health problems by practising therapy and counselling techniques.

The therapies include mindfulness-based therapy, behavioural therapy, EMDR and trauma therapy, and analytical therapy. They are not certified to prescribe medications. However, they can conduct psychological evaluations and testing to diagnose mental health issues and create treatment plans. Their focus is on psychological and behavioural aspects of mental health concerns. 

A child psychologist with specialisation and a key interest in studying and treating brain function-related problems is a neuropsychologist. They handle cases of impaired brain functioning caused by brain disorders or injuries.

Signs that Your Child Needs Visit to a Psychiatrist or Psychologist

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Some of the signs to watch for include:

• Changes in emotions- like frequent mood swings, persistent irritability or sadness, and excessive fears or anxiety
• Behavioural changes- like social withdrawal, change in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty focussing, frequent aggressive or destructive behaviour, acting like a baby, and drug or alcohol abuse
• Suicidal or self-harm thoughts
• Delay in development
• Drop in academics
• Excessive clinginess
• Difficulty coping with stress
• The problem in remembering things
• Delusions
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress
• Obsessions.

When to Seek Help from a Child Psychiatrist/Psychologist?

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If any of the above-mentioned signs are observed in the child, particularly suddenly, severely, or persistently, it’s crucial to make the child visit a psychiatrist/psychologist. With early and appropriate intervention, significant improvements can be seen in the child’s mental health.  

Choosing the Right Child Psychiatrist/Psychologist

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Now when one knows about the signs calling for a psychiatrist or psychologist help, it’s crucial to pick the right child specialist. For that, there are several key considerations. To start with, the child’s parent or caretaker should seek recommendations or referrals from a primary care paediatrician, family or friends, social worker or school counsellor, and online directories. Next, the consulting psychiatrist or psychologist’s credentials and experience level must be assessed.

It’s always advised to choose a specialist with the right therapeutic approach whose working style and communication can make a child feel comfortable. The specialist’s office location must be convenient to get to and the cost of the modern service is not straining the budget.

At Wales Psychiatry Centre, one can end their search for the right child psychiatrist or psychologist.

Original Source:- https://ivebo.co.uk/read-blog/212207_when-should-i-take-my-child-to-a-psychiatrist-psychologist.html