The practitioner's role in behavioral pediatrics

This report summarizes a 3 year experience in behavioral pediatrics of two private pediatric practitioners. A child therapist with psychoanalytic training served as mental health consultant. One hundred twenty-one families were involved in a total of 150 parent counseling visits. Thirty-seven per cent of the visits were for child rearing problems, 19 per cent for school problems, 31 per cent for medical problems involving acute or chornic illness or hospitalization and 13 per cent for mental ilness in some member of the family. Eighteen mothers were identified who had transient coping problems, all of whom had successful outcomes. Ten families were identified as treatment failures. This report describes one parent counseling model and defines a valid role for pediatric practitioners in behavioral pediatrics. ** Address: Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital, 2103 Adelbert Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106.