Does My Child Have an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder?

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Young Children

Special consideration needs to be given to identifying behaviors of concern in very young children. Their well-being is so connected with that of the family that services must be developed with and directed to the family as a unit. The goal in assessing and providing services to a young child should include helping families to articulate their own stresses and strengths. It is in the context of family that a child first explores his or her world and learns to adapt to the varied demands of families and the world at large.

Historically, many professionals have not been anxious to have a child "labeled and judged" at an early age. On the other hand, the earlier that parents and professionals can intervene in the life of a young child with delays in emotional and behavioral development, the better it is for both the child and the family. Early assessment and intervention requires that parents be involved in both giving and receiving information about their child's development. Interviews with families and observations of their child to assess how well he or she communicates, plays, relates to peers and adults, and is able to self-regulate behavior is useful in deciding whether the child has a developmental problem that needs attention.

Most often, the first indications that an infant may be experiencing significant problems will be delays in normal development. An infant who is unresponsive to his or her environment (doesn't show emotion, such as pleasure or fear that is developmentally appropriate; doesn't look at or reach for objects within reach or respond to environmental changes such as sound or light), who is over-responsive (easily startled, cries), or who shows weight loss or inadequate weight gain that is not explainable by a physical problem (failure to thrive), should have a thorough evaluation. If parents have questions about their child's development, they should call their child's pediatrician or family physician. Many doctors who include young children in their practice will have materials available for parents on normal childhood development.

Toddlers may have a tremendous range of behaviors that would be considered developmentally appropriate, depending on the child's own history. However, any significant delays (six months or more) in language development, motor skills or cognitive development should be brought to the attention of the child's pediatrician. Children who become engrossed in self-stimulating behavior to the exclusion of normal activities or who are self-abusive (head banging, biting, hitting), who do not form affectionate relationships with care providers such as baby-sitters or relatives, or who repeatedly hit, bite, kick or attempt to injure others should be seen by their pediatrician or family physician and, if indicated, by a competent mental health professional.

Especially with a first child, parents may feel uneasy, uncomfortable, or even foolish about seeking an evaluation for their very young child. While sorting out problems from developmental stages can be quite tricky with infants and toddlers, early identification and intervention can significantly reduce the effects of abnormal psychosocial development. Careful observation of infants and toddlers as they interact with caregivers, their family or their environment is one of the most useful tools that families or physicians have, since many mental health problems cannot be diagnosed in any other way.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to provide services for children from ages three through twenty-one who have disabilities, and established an Early Intervention State Grant Program (part H of the IDEA) to serve infants and toddlers from birth through the age of two. The law specifies that states who apply for and receive funds under Part H must provide a multi-disciplinary assessment of infants or toddlers who are experiencing significant delays in normal development, and identify services appropriate to meet any identified needs in a written Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP). As of this writing, all states are receiving funds to provide services to infants and toddlers. Parents who have questions related to preschool or early intervention programs should call their local school district offices or their state Department of Health or Human Services for guidance.

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