When You’re Worried Something Is Wrong with Your Child

I will always remember sitting at the small table with my son’s teacher in his classroom, knees knocking, heart palpitating as she gently discussed the concerns she had about my son. She handled the moment so sensitively when she suggested I have him evaluated, but it is never easy to hear something could be wrong with your beloved child. It is a gripping tension wanting to believe everything is OK when you know in your heart that the issues being discussed are real and worrying what that will mean.

Whether it’s a worry about your child’s development or a physical or medical issue, the fear that something could be wrong with your child is a knot in the stomach that won’t go away till you resolve it to your satisfaction. As someone who has been through different challenges with my sons here are tips based on my experiences. (Please note: this is not medical advice, just sharing from my Mom experience. Please consult with appropriate medical professionals.)

Assess and articulate as objectively as possible the issues you are worried about and the questions you have. Write them out and bring them with you to any appointments with medical professionals or other practitioners.

Ask your child’s care givers or teachers what they observe, asking in as objective a way as possible. Get specific examples of behaviors or observations and facts, such as how often they see something happening, rather than just opinion.

Think through which type of professional is best to ask for advice and assessment. Identify who you think is the best person or practice to go to. This often starts with your pediatrician, but depending on the issues you might want to in addition or alternatively seek out a medical specialist or other practitioner such as a speech therapist or audiologist. For advice about speech development, check out this article from speech therapist Jennifer Katz - I’m Worried about My Child’s Speech, Should I Be?

To read the rest of the article, please visit my parenting blog at http://gooseling.com/2013/09/12/worried-something-wrong/. Lisa Danielpour is Co-Founder and COO of Gooseling, dedicated to teaching children social & life skills through video game apps. Cavity Dragons is the first game designed to encourage kids to brush their teeth.