How a Pediatrician Can Improve Your Child's Behavioral Health
It’s often difficult for parents to distinguish between normal behavior and behavior issues that need professional treatment. Your pediatrician can help. Drs. Mitchell Feldman, Francine Hennessey, and Jacquelyn Chambers at Patriot Pediatrics in Bedford, MA, offer comprehensive pediatric medicine services, including behavioral health assessments, consultations and treatment. They proudly serve residents of Bedford, Billerica, Chelmsford, Lexington, and Concord, MA.
What You Need To Know About Your Child’s Behavioral Health
Your child may show defiant behaviors as a way of testing boundaries and showing autonomy. These are normal behaviors and developmental milestones.There are some behaviors which could indicate your child has a treatable disorder such as ADHD. You need to talk with your pediatrician if your child is:
- Excessively talking or blurting out comments
- Having difficulty remaining still
- Frequently forgetting or losing things
- Having difficulty focusing on tasks
- Daydreaming frequently and not concentrating
- Frequently making mistakes
As your child gets older, behavioral and emotional problems can develop, especially when your child enters school. You should contact your pediatrician if you notice your child is:
- Having difficulty making and keeping friendships
- Demonstrating a lack of respect for authority figures
- Threatening to harm themselves, other children, or pets
- Feeling unhappy or depressed most of the time
- Feeling anxious about social situations and school
- Intentionally damaging or destroying things
- Frequently lying, stealing, or arguing
- Doing poorly in school or skipping class
Your pediatrician is an expert at diagnosis and treatment of these common childhood behavioral and developmental disorders:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- A learning disability
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, includes predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive and combined types)
Your pediatrician will begin with a comprehensive screening and evaluation. to identify potential behavioral issues. Your pediatrician will develop a customized treatment plan to improve your child’s behavioral health. The treatment plan may include:
- Behavioral counseling for your child
- Family counseling for you and your family members
- Medication to help with focus and impulse control
- Dietary and activity modification to improve overall health
Want To Know More?
To find out more about how a pediatrician can help improve your child’s behavioral health, talk with the experts. Call Drs. Mitchell Feldman, Francine Hennessey, and Jacquelyn Chambers at Patriot Pediatrics in Bedford, MA, serving residents of Bedford, Billerica, Chelmsford, Lexington, and Concord, MA. You can reach them in the office by calling (781) 674-2900, so call today.