Partnering for your child’s physical & behavioral health
While many parents hope that outbursts, social withdrawal, and anxious behaviors are just a phase or something their child will “grow out” of, it’s still important that you consult your doctor. The pediatric team here at Patriot Pediatrics can pinpoint warning signs of behavioral health issues and help you figure out the next steps to ensuring that your child gets the proper care and treatment they need.
Some of the most common types of behavioral disorders we see in kids include:
Developmental
- Eating, Sleeping, Toileting
- Behavioral Challenges & Tantrums
- Developmental Delays & Disorders
- Social Problems, Shyness, Bullying
Medical
- Fear of Shots & Swabs, Pill Swallowing
- Headaches, Pain, GI Problems
- Tics, Tourette’s
- Medical Diagnoses: Adjustment & Coping
In the Family
- Adjustment to Change
- Grief & Loss
- Separation & Divorce
- Sibling Acceptance & Conflicts
Educational
- ADHD: Diagnosis, Treatment Planning
- Learning Disorders & Styles
- Homework, Planning & Organizing
- Separation & School Resistance
Emotional Concerns
- Anxiety, Panic, Phobias, OCD
- Depression & Moodiness
- Drug & Alcohol Misuse
- Traumatic Experiences
- Body Image & Disordered Eating
To start treatment
Your PCP will send a referral to LifeStance Health, our partner in behavioral health. An intake coordinator from LifeStance will call you within 3-5 business days to schedule an initial appointment.
Behavioral health issues aren’t just something that occurs in adults. Kids (even young kids) can deal with mental health issues. While many parents hope that outbursts, social withdrawal, and anxious behaviors are just a phase or something their child will “grow out” of, it’s still important that you consult a doctor. The pediatric team here at Patriot Pediatrics can pinpoint warning signs of mental illness and also help you figure out the next steps to ensuring that your child gets the proper care and treatment they need.
Childhood Behavioral Disorders
Some of the most common types of behavioral disorders we see in kids include,
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Tourette Syndrome
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Emotional Behavioral Disorder
Behavioral Warning Signs in Children
It’s normal for kids with these types of disorders to become upset more easily or to act out. Some signs that your child could have a behavioral disorder include,
- Refusing to follow authority or rules
- Frequently throwing temper tantrums
- Prone to outbursts and easily angered
- Quick to nervousness
- Blaming others
Signs and Symptoms of ADHD
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood. The hallmark symptoms associated with ADHD include,
- Impulsivity
- Inattentiveness
- Hyperactivity
A child may show one, two or all of these classic symptoms. These symptoms can range widely from child to child, which can make it more challenging to determine whether a child has ADHD or not. For example, one child may have trouble sitting still or may become disruptive in class while another child may have trouble paying attention, be forgetful or not complete school assignments. Both children could have ADHD.
Do You think Your Child Might Have ADHD?
Many symptoms associated with ADHD are normal childhood behaviors (e.g. fidgetiness, daydreaming or being a bit rambunctious), so if these behaviors only happen occasionally then it’s typically not ADHD; however, if these behaviors occur in all settings, such as school, play and home, and it’s impacting your child’s life and relationships then this is definitely something worth investigating.
When you suspect childhood ADHD it’s important that you have a doctor you can turn to for answers and to shed light on this behavioral disorder. Here at Patriot Pediatrics, we provide diagnostic evaluations for everything from ADHD, learning disabilities and behavioral disorders.