At the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, we hope that parents will use this month as an opportunity to learn more about emotional and behavioral problems that affect children, and when, why and how to seek professional help.

Most children experience emotional or behavioral problems at some point. Many times, these issues are temporary bumps in the road that can be addressed with help and support from family, friends, teachers and other trusted adults. However, when these problems become too intense for families to handle alone, when a long time goes by without marked improvement, or when a child’s problems begin to detract from a happy and healthy routine, it is time to seek the expertise that only a well-trained and understanding professional can provide.

Many parents may feel hesitant about seeking help outside the family. Sometimes they may simply be waiting for things to get better, hoping the problem is not serious. Hesitation generally stems from three main sources. Parents may not want to discuss the family’s private business with a stranger. They may worry that the child will be stigmatized if it became known that he or she is seeing a mental health professional. Or, the parents may fear that somehow they will be blamed for the child’s problems. It is important for parents to act despite these very natural concerns.

As the Executive Director of the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, all too often I have witnessed the cost to a child’s development and a family’s well-being, when parents wait too long to get help for a child with emotional or behavioral problems. When a child is sick with a fever or cold, parents can often help the child using tried-and-true home remedies and their good common sense. However, when the child’s illness lasts longer than it should, or when the symptoms worsen, it is time to seek the help of a medical professional. A consultation can provide you with reassurance or guidance or link you to more extensive services that can be crucial to your child’s future. I urge parents to use the same good judgment seeking help for mental health problems as they do for physical illness.

Once the decision is made to seek outside help, parents may not know what kind of professional is needed, or where to find a trustworthy and knowledgeable practitioner. Getting started is easier than you might think. A parent can seek advice and a referral from a medical professional, the child’s school, or someone you know who has gotten help from a professional therapist. Or, there are excellent local organizations at the ready to match families with the right kind of help for them. The Child Guidance Center, a licensed mental health clinic for children and teens, has a multidisciplinary staff that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. These are professionals who are trained to work with children and families in a confidential, respectful and culturally competent way. Moreover, we partner with numerous other local organizations such as Domus, Kids In Crisis, Family Centers, etc. as well as public and private schools, to assure a comprehensive, individualized response to each child and family.

This May, we hope that you will join the Child Guidance Center and its partners in celebrating the potential of our children by making sure that all children who might benefit from professional mental health services get the help they need.