Pediatric psychology addresses the developmental and psychosocial factors that can contribute to pediatric psychological and physical issues. It includes the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric medical conditions such as: adherence to treatment regimens, psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness, and negative behaviors in response to a medical condition or treatment; as well as treatment of childhood disorders of ADHD, OCD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Enuresis, Encopresis, school problems, infant feeding disorders, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, selective mutism, etc.
As with all disorders of childhood, diagnosis and treatment often involves involves a psychiatric evaluation and physical tests to determine whether a the child's symptoms are actually being caused by a different disorder. Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are a number of effective complementary ways of treating pediatric conditions including:
- Play therapy
- Parent Education and Training
- Family Therapy
- Behavioral Therapy