Have you ever detected something in your child that has led you to consider the possibility of going to a child psychologist? And yet, are you not sure what signs would be indicating the need to seek professional help?
In this article we help you to know a little better the figure of the child psychologist and we list a series of signs in children that would indicate that perhaps it is time to ask for specialized help.
We will also analyze the characteristics of psychological intervention in childhood and, in addition, at the end of the article we will talk about risk and protective factors when developing any type of psychopathology in childhood.
Evolutionary psychology and childhood
People change a lot throughout life; evolutionary psychology is responsible for studying these changes in human behavior. One of the especially fragile and important stages is the childhood stage .
In it there are a host of situations, such as first links, changes in the body, search for identity, etc., which make the child, or the adolescent, at a sensitive and vulnerable moment. Also, let’s not forget that it is in full swing!
A key figure in evolutionary psychology is the figure of the child psychologist. But what exactly does a child psychologist do?
What is child psychology?
Child psychology is a specialization within the field of psychology. Study the behavior of the child, from birth to adolescence . On the other hand, child and adolescent psychologists cover the period from childhood to youth.
Child psychology is also a branch of psychology focused on the evolution of the different aspects of the minor, at the level: physical, motor, cognitive, perceptual, sensory, affective and social.
What does a child psychologist do?
A child psychologist performs the process of psychological evaluation, diagnosis and treatment in childhood. Among its functions is to analyze the irregularities of the mental development of the minor , as well as to offer strategies to promote their well-being, autonomy, self-esteem …
He is a professional who works a lot with parents and with the school ; These agents (family and educators or teachers) will act in many cases as co-therapists (also called paraprofessionals).
Five Signs Your Child Needs Professional Help
How do you know if your child needs to see a child psychologist? We are talking about five essential red flags:
1) Your difficulties or problems interfere with your daily functioning
If the problem or difficulty that your child is going through (be it a period of apathy, sadness, disruptive behaviors …) interfere with his daily functioning , that is, in some area of his life (be it the school environment , leisure, family relationships …), it is important that you value the option of asking for professional help.
In mental health, generally, this is the key point, the “threshold” that makes us think of a problem that requires psychological attention.
2) Presents abnormal behaviors that cause discomfort
An anomalous behavior in childhood is that behavioral expression that is far from the generality , that is, one that does not happen to most children.
On the other hand, many abnormal behaviors become maladaptive for children, and also cause them suffering (either to themselves or to their environment).
Four parameters are considered in the definition of anomalous or deviant behavior:
- The intensity or magnitude of the behavior.
- The frequency with which it appears.
- The duration over time.
- The number of different symptoms and their configuration.
Therefore, if you detect that your child exhibits some type of abnormal behavior (for example, excessive sadness, emotional lability, intense agitation, social isolation …) it will be important to seek professional help, because abnormal or maladaptive behaviors can be a sign of alert.
3) There has been a major change in your emotions or behaviors
A major change in your child’s emotions or behaviors could also be a red flag that leads us to consider seeking professional help.
This change can be, for example: greater anguish, irritability , sadness, agitation, restlessness … And above all, when it is difficult for us to determine the origin or cause of this change.
4) Manifests adaptation difficulties
Adaptation difficulties can also be a red flag to ask for psychological help. These difficulties can occur in any area of your life: at school (a new school stage, a change in cycle …), for example, or before a major change in your life.
In this case, we are talking about changes such as the separation of parents, the arrival of a brother to the family, a move to a new city, the death of a loved one, etc.
So if your child experiences persistent difficulties understanding , tolerating, accepting, or adjusting to this new reality, with sudden mood swings, irritability, excessive sadness, or uncontrolled crying, for example, it may be time to consider asking for help. specialized.
5) Verbalize that you need help
If we ask our child if he wants to talk to someone other than us about what concerns him, and he tells us that yes, that perhaps he would like to talk about it with another person , or he directly tells us that he would like to be better, that he does not know how do it, how to manage your emotions …
So, it is time to evaluate options and offer that help that you ask perhaps indirectly. Logically, as parents, we will surely have already done everything in our power to help you.
But sometimes specialized help is necessary , from a professional expert in child psychology and therefore in child development psychology.
How should therapeutic intervention be in the child and adolescent population
When working with children, it is important to pay attention to a series of considerations that are not necessarily relevant in the approach to adult patients.
Thus, therapeutic intervention in childhood presents a series of its own characteristics; basically, we talk about four:
- The intervention must be in relation to the therapeutic demand (that is, to the reason for consultation).
- The evolutionary influence (the evolutionary moment) on the origin of the disorder or problem must be taken into account.
- Parents and other significant adults for the child will be involved at different levels during treatment (such as collaborators, information providers, etc.).
- The preferential attention will be to observable behaviors, never leaving aside those less evident.
Risk and protective factors when developing psychopathology in childhood
On what does it depend that a child ends up developing a psychopathology (some disorder or problem that interferes with his well-being)? Of many factors, although we can break down at least the general risk and protective factors.
And it is that research in child psychology has been able to identify a series of factors related to the child, their family environment and community , which are associated with a greater risk of developing child psychopathology or problems that require psychological attention.
Also, signals that are related to protection against all this (protective factors). We are going to know all these factors:
Risk factor’s
- Acute stressful situations
- Poverty, serious deficits in the care received
- Parental psychopathology
- Death of a family member
- Disasters in the community
- Not have a roof
- Family breakdown or lack of family structure
- Perinatal stress
Protection factors
- Easy temperament
- Coping strategies that combine autonomy with seeking help
- High intelligence and academic achievement
- Efficient communication
- Problem solving skills
- Positive self esteem
- High self-efficacy
- Positive relationship with at least one significant adult
- Positive education
- Effective school environment
- Resource availability
- A talent or hobby valued by adults or peers
- Religious beliefs
Photos | Cover (freepik), Image 1 (pexels), Image 2 (pexels), Image 3 (pexels)
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