Why is it Important to Address My Child's Behavioral Health?
As a parent, you know the importance of checkups with your child's pediatrician, what to do when your child has a cold or the flu, and how to care for scrapes and bruises. But a child's health is more than physical, and one aspect that sometimes goes unrecognized and untreated is behavioral health. Having your child evaluated at an early age, and beginning a treatment plan right away, is essential for setting your child up for healthiness, happiness and success. Left unaddressed, behavioral health issues can lead to poor grades in school, difficulty making and maintaining friendships, trouble holding a job, feelings of hopelessness or despondency, a sense of isolation, or lead to disordered eating, self-harm or compulsive behaviors.
Our providers have more than 75 collective years of experience with pediatrics and behavioral health concerns such as autism, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If your child is struggling with a behavioral health issue, let our providers at Tullahoma Pediatrics, PLLC in Tullahoma and Manchester, TN help your family come up with a treatment plan that's right for you. Please do not hesitate to make an appointment regarding your child's behavior.
What To Expect at a Behavioral Health Evaluation
Our Behavioral Health Clinician will begin by taking an initial evaluation and talking to you and your child about your concerns and any behaviors you have noticed. If you are a current patient in our practice, we refer to this visit as a "Behavioral Health Consult" appointment. We may ask you to have your child's teachers or therapist, if they have one, to fill out paperwork as well. We will go over your child's medical history, developmental milestones, social skills and daily habits, asking you about exhibitions of such behaviors and characteristics as temperament, attentiveness, aggressiveness, sleep and interactions with peers. You will then schedule a follow-up appointment with your child once these forms are completed and delivered to our office within 45 days. If you are not a current patient and have behavioral health concerns, we will first establish you as a patient either by a well child check-up or general health visit. Depending on the visit, the provider may order additional follow up or referrals as needed.
Currently, we evaluate patients for autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression. Our Tullahoma office houses Mental Health Cooperative for counseling needs.
Please complete a Behavioral Health Information Packet prior to your visit.
Cardiovascular
In 2008, the American Heart Association (AHA) published guidelines for cardiovascular (heart) monitoring of children who are receiving ADHD medications. Their initial suggestion stated that each child started on medication would need an EKG. They did not consult with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) before they made this very expensive recommendation. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) disagreed with the recommendation and have issued a joint recommendation regarding how children on ADHD medications should be followed. You will be given a cardiovascular (heart) history evaluation form with questions designed to determine whether or not your child needs an EKG. Rest assured that most cardiac events associated with ADHD have occurred in adults or in children with an abnormality in their heart and who see their cardiologist regularly.
Do you have additional questions about behavioral health? Call Tullahoma Pediatrics or Manchester Pediatrics in Coffee County, TN today at (931) 455-2674!