Signs Your Child May Have Behavioral Problems

What you need to know about behavioral problems in children

Sometimes it’s hard to know if your child’s behavior is part of the normal spectrum of developmental behavior associated with growing up and maturing. You can expect your child’s behavior to change as they grow, but sometimes outbursts or social isolation can be a sign of a potentially serious behavioral problem. Your doctors at Surfside Pediatrics, in Ventura, California, want you to be able to tell the difference.

Normal developmental behavior can include:

• Defiant behavior; your child is most likely testing boundaries and showing independence.
• Withdrawing from you; your child is most likely wanting to show autonomy and the need to do things on their own.
• Acting out; your child may be responding to a major change such as moving to a new place, problems at school, divorce, or death of a family member.

There are some early warning signs of emotional behavioral disorders to definitely pay attention to. Your doctors at Surfside Pediatrics, in Ventura, want you and your child to come in for a thorough evaluation if you notice that your child is:

• Harming or threatening themselves, other children or pets
• Having trouble in relationships with teachers and other children
• Generally depressed and unhappy
• Generally anxious about school or relationships
• Willfully damaging or destroying other people’s things
• Lying, frequently arguing or stealing
• Hostility and defiance toward authority figures
• Doing poorly in school or skipping school
• Early smoking and drinking, or using drugs

Your child may exhibit more developmental difficulties than emotional ones, as is the case with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.

Symptoms of ADHD include:

• Excessive squirming and talking
• Losing or forgetting things
• Frequent daydreaming
• Being careless and making mistakes

If your child has behavioral problems, it can be difficult and frustrating, but you don’t have to deal with it on your own. Help is just a phone call away from your doctors at Surfside Pediatrics in Ventura, California. They are experts in evaluating, diagnosing and treating children’s behavioral problems. Your child will be in good hands! Get some help for your child by calling today!