Very young children may express distress through their sleep, their toilet habits, their appetite and parents can often be helped through therapeutic sessions to think through what their child might be struggling to communicate. Moving out of baby and toddlerhood, school age children might struggle to concentrate in the classroom setting, to enjoy social activities and to learn about peer relationships and these difficulties might be expressed through behaviours that parents find difficult to understand. 

Later still, growing up and leaving childhood behind and entering puberty and adolescence can be a challenging and painful process and young people may find themselves having thoughts and feelings that are confusing and distressing.  This can sometimes lead to ‘acting out’ aggressive or self destructive behaviour or ‘acting in’ depression and ‘stuckness’.  This can be very difficult for the young person and the people they live and interact with and can affect their wider and peer relationships and their learning and development.  Parents can find it helpful to think some of this through with a psychotherapist as a first step in effecting better communication and change.