In some cases, children need the help of trained medical professionals to deal with behavioral health issues. Parents can feel overwhelmed by a child’s behavioral health needs, and the child’s needs can place enormous stress on the entire family. Fortunately, modern psychiatric care programs can help both children and their families achieve positive and lasting change.
At Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute, our experienced behavioral health team offers safe and personalized psychiatric care programs for children ages 8 through 12. We understand that each child’s situation is unique, our goal is to provide stabilization of immediate concerns within a safe and structured environment.. Learn more about seeking treatment for your child and our inpatient psychiatric care programs for children below.
When to Consider Treatment
It can be difficult for parents to know when their child may need behavioral health treatment. Parents may wonder if their child’s behavior is normal and if it is just a phase of growing up. Those concerns are common, and sometimes, children do need help from behavioral health professionals. Signs and behaviors that indicate a child may need behavioral health treatment include:
- Suicidal thoughts
- Homicidal thoughts or instances of violence
- Ongoing sadness or tiredness
- Changes in sleeping or eating habits
- Self-isolation
- Extreme fear or paranoia
- Difficulty coping
- Displays of anger and aggression
While the above signs indicate that a child may need help, noticing that your child exhibits any of the above behaviors is not equivalent to a medical diagnosis. A licensed child psychiatrist must first evaluate your child before making a medical diagnosis and recommending an individualized treatment plan.
Key components of our inpatient treatment programs for children
Over the years, we have helped children and their families address behavioral health issues. We use proven care methodologies, and our team works day and night to provide an environment that is conducive to healing and personal growth. Treatment plans include comprehensive assessment, group therapy, medication management, and family involvement. Therapeutic interventions include evidence-based theoretical approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Key components of our programs include:
- Safety. If a child does not feel safe, the child is not able to focus fully on addressing the child’s behavioral health needs. We focus on ensuring each child’s physical and emotional safety throughout the treatment program.
- Family involvement. We understand that families are worried about their children’s behavioral health needs. We work to involve the family at each step of the treatment process with regular updates and consultation on any major decisions. At the same time, we work with families to help them understand the treatment process and know when they need to give their children space to heal.
- A licensed and experienced team. Our treatment team is multidisciplinary, and each practitioner is fully licensed. We have decades of combined experience with inpatient psychiatric care, and we understand the unique needs of children who need help with their behavioral health.
- Group therapy. Our treatment programs often include a group therapy component. The social element of group therapy often helps children during their treatment journey, and this is particularly the case for children who may suffer from forms of depression.
- Ongoing care plans. A child’s behavioral health needs do not end at discharge. We work with each child and family to develop an ongoing care plan, which often includes outpatient visits and a range of at-home recommendations. For children who require ongoing medication, we make sure that the child’s caregivers clearly understand how to administer that medication and manage any side effects.
Each child is unique, and each care program caters to the child’s individual needs. After meeting with a child and determining that the child requires inpatient care, our team builds a comprehensive care plan that can result in the child’s lasting recovery.
Removing the stigma from child psychiatric care
Often, parents feel shame or embarrassment that their child faces behavioral health issues. Parents may think that their child’s challenges are because of “bad” parenting and that they are the cause of their child’s behavioral health needs. The reality is that behavioral health issues can come from a variety of sources that are outside of a parent’s control. An individual is not a “bad” parent when their child has a behavioral health issue, and children can have a range of behavioral health needs even in the most supportive home environments.
If a child exhibits signs of behavioral health issues, parents should consult behavioral health practitioners for a professional assessment. Many children have behavioral health needs, and parents should not avoid getting their child treatment due to any stigma surrounding inpatient psychiatric care. Often, behavioral health issues only worsen over time, and it is best to treat behavioral health issues sooner rather than later.
Getting started at Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute
Parents are not alone when dealing with a child’s behavioral health challenges. If you are looking for child inpatient psychiatric care near me, know that the team at Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute is ready to help.
The first step towards getting a child inpatient care for emotional and behavioral health needs is to contact our team. You can reach our trained mental health professionals near Austin, Texas, any time at (512) 819-1154. On the phone, a member of our team can help answer any questions you may have about our inpatient services, and we can help schedule your child for a free mental health assessment.