Real Life Solutions: Should My Child See a Therapist? by Dr. Linda Mintle
We are proud to have Dr. Linda Mintle in ParentLife each month answering questions submitted from readers. To submit a question for Dr. Mintle, e-mail it to parentlife@lifeway.com and include "? for Dr. Mintle" on the subject line. This month we have an extra Q&A from Dr. Mintle we wanted to share.
Q: We have been through a lot this past year. My husband was deployed and is still serving overseas, our family dog died, we’ve moved closer to my family, and my mom is battling cancer. I’ve noticed that my 7-year-old son is bed-wetting and more withdrawn in school. How do I know if he needs to see a therapist?
A: What you’ve described is a series of significant life events that can be tough for a child to manage — a move, deployment, pet death, and an ill grandma.
The stress can cause the problems you see. First, talk to teachers and others who interact with your child to get a better idea of how he is doing in settings away from home. See your pediatrician to make sure there is no underlying medical issue that could be impacting his behavior.
When you see regression in behavior like bed-wetting, behavioral problems like isolating, grades dropping in school, sadness, social withdrawal, losing interest in enjoyed activities, aggression, changes in sleep and/or appetite, mood swings, physical complaints, and adjustment problems, these are all signs that indicate your child would benefit from the help of a child therapist.
You are covered under your military insurance so you should be able to get help easily. Look for someone trained in working with children, who is good at building a relationship. Ask if the therapist is willing to do a brief consultation before you commit to that person. The therapist should be licensed in your state, covered under your military plan, have credentials and training that reflect child development, and be friendly so that your son feels comfortable.
I would recommend finding a family therapist who will include you in helping your son through the transitions and dad’s absence. In addition, you may want to identify a dad at church who might give your son a little “dad time” now and then. Boys miss doing things with their dads when dads are deployed. Hopefully he can work through all the transitions that seemed to hit your family at one time.
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