Child psychologist

The decision to seek consultation with a child psychologist and the first visit can be stressful. Both the child and parents may not know what help to expect. Parents or caregivers often have doubts or anxiety related to the fear of being judged or evaluated by specialists regarding the parenting methods used at home.

Consultations are frequently prompted by situations that require specialized support, such as changes in family circumstances, parental separation, the death of a loved one, or social and academic problems. If previously employed parenting methods, attempts at understanding, and efforts to identify the cause of the problem have been ineffective, it is worth considering specialized consultation.

Who is a child psychologist?

A child psychologist is an individual who possesses qualifications and education verified by documents, and based on these qualifications, provides services related to therapy and counseling for children and adolescents.

According to Polish law guidelines, a person who has completed uniform master's studies in psychology can be recognized as a psychologist. Depending on their individual professional interests, psychologists can specialize in fields such as clinical psychology for children and adolescents, child and family psychology, or educational psychology.

In child psychology consultations, the child psychologist conducts an interview, psychological observation, and psychological examination that do not require the use of additional paid tests. The psychologist provides a psychological diagnosis, offers recommendations, and plans and conducts psychological therapy.

Child psychologist consultations do not include issuing written opinions or permits, or services beyond the diagnosis and therapy of mental disorders.

Specifically, this excludes:

• Psychological diagnoses requiring the use of psychological tests, such as school readiness assessments, autism and Asperger's syndrome diagnoses.
• Personality tests and intelligence tests.
• Group psychotherapies.

During the initial visit, the child psychologist will inquire about the reason for the consultation and ask questions about the parents' expectations, current and past family relationships, social situations, school or preschool experiences, as well as any concerns about the child reported by teachers and caregivers.

A single visit might not be sufficient for an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes, after several consultations, the psychologist will be able to propose an optimal solution to the problem and implement targeted therapy.

It is helpful to prepare notes outlining the most important issues (in bullet points) that you want to discuss during the visit to ensure nothing is forgotten. Documents related to the child, such as previous psychological opinions, school reports, and descriptive assessments, can also be useful.

To make a diagnosis, the child psychologist needs to thoroughly understand the child's situation, including information about their past, family situation, health, and how the child functions in their home, school, and peer environments. For adolescents, information about habits and lifestyle is important

In some cases, it is necessary to conduct additional paid diagnostic tests to make a diagnosis. Due to the duration of these tests, separate appointments with the specialist are required.

It is important to note that a psychologist specialist does not issue prescriptions or prescribe medications. They are also not authorized to provide medical certificates.

The first visit to a child psychologist is usually the beginning of collaboration and the diagnostic process. The outcome of the diagnosis is proposing appropriate therapeutic actions and methods of working with the child.

If necessary, the psychologist may refer the child to specialized consultations, such as psychiatric or speech therapy consultations.

Often, the first session of psychological consultation takes place without the child present because psychological consultations require an interview in which the child should not participate.