Program for Behavioral and Learning Disorders in Children

The psychologist in a medical setting has unique training and skills that can be invaluable to the physician in the overall medical management of patients. Children hospitalized for a variety of medical problems such as renal disorders, cardiac problems, severe asthma or diabetes, seizures, or other chronic handicapping conditions often require the services of a psychologist because of learning problems or possible accompanying biosocial problems. Within pediatric outpatient clinics, a large percentage of children are referred and evaluated because of learning-and behavior-related disorders. The referral is often made to the medical setting by school personnel or other agencies for evaluation and the distinguishing of organic from nonorganic contributions to the disorder. It is recognized that early intervention in both learning and behavior problems can do much to alleviate and prevent more serious disorders at a later date. Recognizing that the totality of treatment of the patient and the disease must focus on both the mind and the body, a growing number of medical centers are adding behavioral or pediatric psychologists to their staffs. Early behavioral pediatrics focused on “biosocial development and learning difficulties of children and adolescents” (Russo & Varni, 1982, p. 14), but in recent years, the field has broadened and has become much more comprehensive. With the advances in medicine and technology, we know that children are surviving conditions that, earlier, they might not have survived. Often, however, there are cognitive deficits or behavioral sequalae later in their young lives.