Child and adolescent psychologist

Who is a child psychologist?

A child psychologist is a specialist who works with children and teenagers up to the age of 18. His task is to diagnose psychological disorders and help children and their parents overcome problems.

The specialist assesses the child's development in social competence and dealing with emotions, among other things. Based on diagnostic tools, he can detect ADHD, dyslexia, school phobia or child depression, among others, in a child.

Depending on individual professional interests, psychologists may specialize, for example, in educational psychology or clinical child and family psychology.

When to report with a child to a psychologist?

Parents should visit a child psychologist when they have noticed worrying symptoms in their child or when the child is not developing properly social-emotionally. A visit can also be helpful in the case of a difficult family situation or when the child's teachers raise concerns about the child's behavior, and previous attempts to solve the problems have been unsuccessful.

A visit is advisable in particular when:

• there are major changes in the child's life (e.g., separation of parents, change of school, change of residence, death of a loved one);
• a sudden change in the child's behavior has occurred;
• there are outbursts of anger, uncontrolled crying, hysteria;
• the child is over-stimulated, has difficulty maintaining concentration, learning problems;
• the child is afraid to go to school;
• the child exhibits aggressive or self-aggressive behavior;
• the child is apathetic, does not establish relationships with peers.

What does the first visit to a child psychologist look like?

The child psychologist first talks to the parents about the problem - he needs to know exactly the child's family situation and the reason for the parents' anxiety. Only then does he meet with the child and play with him or talk with him (this depends on the age of the child). During the meeting with the child, the specialist makes observations and tries to understand the problem.

Additional tests or examinations may be necessary to make a diagnosis. Sometimes the psychologist may refer parents to another specialist, such as a child psychiatrist, speech therapist. During the first meeting with the child, the psychologist does not conduct any additional paid tests - parents will be informed if the specialist deems them necessary.

Preparation for the consultation  

Before the visit, it is a good idea to take notes so that during the conversation with the specialist you can present the problem in an orderly and comprehensive manner. It is also best to have with you documents about the child, such as previous psychological opinions, opinions from school, descriptive assessments - they may contain information relevant to the specialist.

In terms of consultation, the child psychologist conducts an interview, psychological observation and psychological examination that does not require the use of additional paid tests. Then he makes a diagnosis, gives recommendations, proposes therapeutic measures and methods of working with the child. If necessary, he refers parents to other specialists.

The first visit to a child psychologist is usually the beginning of cooperation and the diagnostic process. Making a diagnosis may require more than one or two visits. In some situations, it is necessary to perform additional paid diagnostic tests, requiring separate visits due to the duration.   

Consultation with a child psychologist does not include the issuance of written opinions, services beyond the diagnosis and therapy of mental disorders. In particular:  

• psychological diagnosis requiring the use of psychological tests, such as diagnosis of school maturity, diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders;  
• personality tests and intelligence tests.  

A child psychologist is not authorized to issue prescriptions for medication or sick leave.   

If you wish to find a specialist who speaks a foreign language, we recommend reading the profile of the specialist in question.  

No referral is required to use the service.  

You must arrive no later than 15 minutes before your appointment.  Implementation of the service is possible only at the medical facility indicated during the purchase.

Child psychologist - teleconsultation

A telemedicine consultation can be used by any patient, regardless of location and previous treatment history. During the consultation, the specialist will carry out all services that can be performed remotely. However, in the course of the interview, it may turn out that an in-patient visit is necessary, without which a correct diagnosis cannot be made.   

When you book an appointment identified as a Teleportation, you are purchasing a telephone consultation, not an in-person visit to a facility. The facility addresses displayed in the schedule only indicate where the specialist works.  

When purchasing a consultation, we strongly urge you to use a telephone number registered in Poland - telemedicine consultation is only possible from a Polish telephone number.