When Should Children Consider Counseling?

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Counseling for children is becoming more prevalent in society. Due to unforeseen problems facing families today, counseling should be seriously considered for children who face these issues and need a way to cope with their situation. There are astounding facts published in The Journal of Counseling and Development that relate to children and mental health.

Children Counseling Facts

•One in five children has been diagnosed with a mental health or addictive disorder.
•One in ten children has a serious emotional disturbance that significantly impairs functioning at home and at school.
•Of these mental health disorders, 31% are disruptive behavior disorders, 21% are mood disorders, and 16% are adjustment disorders.
•One in ten males between the ages of 3 and 17 is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
•“Estimates show that 70% of these individuals with mental health concerns will not receive mental health care.

Responding to the Crisis in Children’s Mental Health: Potential Roles for the Counseling Profession

Due to these outstanding statistics, the importance of dealing with a child’s mental health becomes as important as tending to their physical health. Children who remain untreated can carry these negative issues with them throughout their adult years.

There are several reasons why a parent, teacher, or guardian, should explore the need of a child to attend therapy sessions. Here are five reasons therapy should be given to children:

•Children can talk openly about what they are feeling without being judged.
•Children are allowed to explore the feelings and thoughts.
•It gives children support.
•It gives a child the opportunity to explore the event objectively.
•It helps the parents or guardians cope with the concerns for their child.

Should a Child Consider Counseling?

There are several methods to explore whether a child needs counseling. Often times, a parent will be asked to fill out a survey and a teacher will also be given a survey, if the child is in their classroom and they observe his or her behavior on a daily basis. The child will be given an evaluation appropriate for their age. Popular methods include having the child draw pictures or play with toys. During these activities, the counselor will be observing the child’s behavior without the child realizing it. This hands-on therapy tends to make the child start opening up and relaying to the counselor their reasons for mental health therapy.

Parents who are concerned about their child’s well-being will be open to the idea of getting counseling for their child. Issues not addressed in the home can be detrimental to the child’s growth and function in society and school. Many times these issues escalate as the child grows older and he or she will likely be more difficult and reluctant to agree with therapy. For these reasons, a parent, guardian, or teacher should be informed about child behavior and development during the child’s early years, so he or she can learn to cope and live a normal life as they grow older.