Social Issues
Issues with socialization can cause one to struggle understanding social issues or to experience negative feelings towards social situations among other things. The following list of questions about social issues can help you determine when it’s time to seek a professional diagnosis for social problems.
Does your child…
- Struggle to social cues such as facial expressions or body language?
- Find it difficult to understand jokes? Sarcasm?
- Tend to be shy or timid and neglect to speak when spoken to?
- Actively avoid certain places or activities?
- Fear that something bad will happen to themselves or others?
- Have problems spending the night away from home?
- Experience fear or anxiety if they have to perform/speak in front of others?
- Have habits or behaviors that seem ritualistic that they must do over and over (e.g., line up things, wash hands over and over)?
- Form strong attachments to everyday items or objects so much so that it can be hard to part with or let go of them?
- Neglect to play with other children?
- Have emotional reactions when they have to change activities or if their routine is disrupted?
- Misperceive situations or take too many things to heart (e.g., wears their heart on their sleeve)?
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, consider scheduling a neuropsychological evaluation. Call us at (847)-469-7537 to learn more.
While it can be “normal” for children to struggle with aspects of socialization, their difficulties may be a symptom of some other issue. For example, a young child who does not want to join in play activities with other children may have a desire to do so but doesn’t know how to initiate a conversation or understand the nuances of social communication. Perhaps it’s challenging for the child to understand facial expressions or body language, which can result in them misperceiving situations. Similarly, an elementary student may “freeze” under pressure when taking a test out of fear that they won’t measure up to their peers, which can have social consequences. Additionally, an adolescent that struggles to deal with peers may be experiencing anxiety or depression.
A neuropsychological evaluation consists of a thorough intake to include your concerns regarding your child, their history of social, emotional, and developmental milestones, and collateral information from outside sources (if desired). Following the evaluation, your neuropsychologist will begin to put the puzzle pieces together in order to understand the reason for your child’s social struggles.
Neuropsychology, and a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, will help explain and determine if an underlying condition, or perhaps multiple underlying conditions, exists. In some circumstances, the social difficulties may be better explained by other conditions. Understanding the patient’s strengths and weaknesses can help identify the reason for these issues and aid in creating a customized treatment plan to improve or manage the patient’s cognitive complaints. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome. Our fellowship-trained doctors will be able to pinpoint the underlying cause for these issues.
Check out these pages to learn more: ADD - Pediatrics,
ADHD - Pediatrics,
Anxiety,
Autism Spectrum Disorder,
Behavioral Difficulties,
Intellectual Disability,
Learning Disorders, and
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
