Children, like many adults, suffer from a wide range of psychological complications. Unlike adults, they often have less ability to communicate what they are feeling or experiencing. It is also quite common for children not to be diagnosed right away due to our limited understanding of what the psychological needs of children look like. Diagnosing mental health disorders in children and teens, then, can be challenging and requires a careful approach by a skilled and highly experienced professional in this area. Here is what you can expect as a parent.
What Occurs During a Mental Health Evaluation?
Numerous factors affect a child’s mood and behaviors. Thus, diagnosing pediatric mental health disorders can be very difficult to do. Factors such as their experiences with the environment and their physical health concerns could play a role in that process. Because of how complex this process can be, a formal mental health evaluation is necessary for nearly every situation. This will evaluate what may be occurring with the goal of understanding a child’s difficulties. The goal of this evaluation is typically to help the child better manage symptoms and get the care they need so they can live the best version of their life possible.
In a mental health evaluation, a professional will work to gain detailed information about the child. This includes what their symptoms and concerns are. They will also seek to get a better understanding of how the child engages in their environment and with other people. This information helps a therapist and psychologist to determine what the child’s diagnosis is if a mental health disorder exists. If so, then a treatment plan for it may be created.
The symptoms that a child is having, or parents or others are noticing, will determine what type of assessment is necessary. In some situations, this could happen at a child’s school. Other times, it may be completed in a community mental health setting, a medical center, or a private professionals’ outpatient office. Where the assessment happens is often dependent on the level of care the child needs as well. Parents should not feel as though they have to count on a school professional to make an accurate diagnosis.
What Types of Tests Can Help with Identifying Mental Health or Behavioral Problems?
A range of assessment and evaluation types exist, each providing a look at what could be occurring with the child. The treatment specialist will determine which tests are most likely beneficial to the child. Some of the tests that could be used include the following:
Psychiatric Evaluations
This type of evaluation looks specifically at the child’s emotional and behavioral problems and is most commonly done when there are serious signs or symptoms of concern. It will help to determine if there is a physiological cause and, if so, what medications may be helpful.
Psychological Evaluation
For children that have signs of serious emotional or behavioral problems and a formal diagnosis is not clear from a psychiatric evaluation, this testing method is used. It is often a form of one-on-one testing of the child’s information processing, memory, personality, and intellectual aspects.
Psychoeducational Evaluation
If a child is struggling with learning, psychoeducational evaluation (often done in a school setting or with an educational psychologist), can provide some insight into what is occurring. It can also help to determine if the child is eligible for special education. It may be done by watching the child in class as well as one-on-one testing.
Developmental Evaluation
In this area, young children, often under the age of seven, will be screened if they are not meeting expected developmental milestones. A team of professionals often does this through observation and one-on-one testing with the child.
Neuropsychological Evaluation
This method could be the ideal choice for children who have problems with memory, attention, visual-motor functioning, and problem solving. It may also be necessary if the child has a medical condition, such as a brain tumor, cancer, epilepsy, or others, that could be impacting the function of the brain. This assessment often involves one-on-one testing as well.
What to Expect During the Process
“Many children might feel intimidated by these evaluations,” says Dr. Avery Grauer, MD, a licensed psychiatrist from the American Psychiatric Association. “But they are often conversations with a professional that can offer insight to parents and provide the child with opportunities to express themselves.”
While parents may be included, sometimes it may not be beneficial, especially in situations where the child may be unable to focus.
Evaluations can take as short of an amount of time as possible to minimize frustrations. Therapists then use the information they receive from these types of evaluations to determine what the next steps are for the child. It is not uncommon for a child to have additional evaluations. This is often essential to getting a better understanding of what is occurring and the next steps necessary.
Because psychological testing in children is not an exact science, more than one provider may be necessary. More so, children may have different symptoms as they get older, or they may struggle with more complex concerns as they age. For this reason, these evaluations may happen for years after a child is initially diagnosed with a condition. That could provide an opportunity for them to continuously obtain the right type and amount of care that is pertinent to their specific needs.
