Behavioral Health and Your Child

Is your child acting out? Are you wondering if your child might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD? Is your child having difficulty in school? These are just a few behavioral health questions you might have. Your pediatrician has the answers. Pediatric providers Dr. Amy Dressel and nurse practitioner Lauren Hopson PNP at Glacier Pediatrics in Juneau, AK, offer comprehensive children’s medical care, including behavioral health evaluation and treatment.

What to Know about Children’s Behavioral Health

Separating normal behavior from a behavioral disorder can be difficult. First, let’s look at normal behavior. Common behaviors as your child gets older include:

• Defiance, because your child may be just testing boundaries and exerting independence
• Withdrawal, because your child needs to show autonomy, and the desire to accomplish things without your help
• Acting out, because your child may be reacting to major changes in life, including moving to a new school, divorce, or death of a close family member

So, what are the warning signs of a behavioral disorder? You should bring your child to see the pediatrician for a behavioral screening if your child is:

• Threatening or harming others, pets, or themselves
• Damaging things belonging to others
• Having difficulty forming or keeping relationships with others
• Showing frequent signs of unhappiness or depression
• Demonstrating anxiety about going to school
• Exhibiting defiance and hostility toward authority figures
• Frequently lying, arguing, stealing, or skipping school
• Using drugs, drinking, or smoking at an early age

Behavioral health is just as important as physical health, and you want your child to thrive. Unfortunately, behavioral health can be overlooked because signs of a behavioral disorder are not always obvious. Your pediatrician can help.

Talk with Your Pediatrician Today

To learn more about behavioral health and your child, call pediatric providers Dr. Amy Dressel and nurse practitioner Lauren Hopson PNP at Glacier Pediatrics in Juneau, AK. You can reach them in the office by calling (907) 586-1542, so call now.