Paper Example on Kids and Divorce: Dealing With Negative Behaviors

Introduction

In the period after a divorce, children tend to demonstrate behaviors that are not favorable. They are likely to transfer the problems at home to school, and some of the changes that they are likely to portray include withdrawal, unhappiness, reduced work ethic, and inattention. These are some of the behaviors that are portrayed by Kyle and indicate that the kid is getting adversely affected by the parents' divorce.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

• The other subjective questions that I would ask include the mother and Kyle.
• Did you and the husband talk to your kids before the divorce to hear them out concerning the issue?
• If you, what was their feedback? Did they seem resourceful were they moved by the topic of divorce?

As a pediatrician, I would approach the guardian and Kyle different, considering they are getting affected by the divorce in a different way. It is important to note that Kyle was attached to the divorced man as a biological father, and there is a strong attachment between them. Conflicts between the man and women may have triggered the divorce, and this means that there is a possibility that the attachment may not have been strong. I will be sensitive when addressing the issue with Kyle because it is clear that divorce is the reason triggering the decline in school performance and the other undesirable behaviors. When handling the guardian, I will be straight to the point in asking my question to ensure that I manage to gather a lot of information about the divorce.

Alterations in the Physical Exam to be Considered

When undertaking the mental status test, it is important to ensure that it is altered so that the sick person does not manage to understand that they are being investigated on this topic. It is crucial to ensure that a patient does not become anxious when undertaking these tests for they may alter their behavior or give fake responses meaning that a physician will not manage to collect the right information. The first impression when a doctor meets a patient may be used to get details on their health status without asking the person questions. The mood that a patient portrays is a clear indention of their emotional status (Luby et al., 2016). When questions are asked, and the person gives certain responses, such as he is depressed, the doctors should use common sense and record the findings. Therefore, in some instances, a doctor does not have to ask direct questions to gather information.

Socioeconomic, Psychosocial, Cultural, and Spiritual Factors to be Considered when Addressing the Patients

Some of the psychosocial factors that am likely to consider include Kyle's behavior and desire to be alone. I will also consider the issue of declining grades at school. Socioeconomically, it is important to find out if the kid is experiencing problems with the financial flow, for this can triggering emotional distress. From a spiritual and cultural point of view, it is crucial to determine what Kyle thinks about the parents' divorce and whether he thinks that what happened is a good thing or not.

Differential Diagnoses Processes

There is a possibility that Kyle's behavior is not attributed to the parents' divorce but other activities that re happening at school. Therefore, other diagnoses may be needed for a pediatrician to be sure of the factors triggering Kyle's behavior. They include depression, learning, and conduct disorders (CD) (Xu, Yao, Wei, Zhu, Yu, & Li, 2018). All these problems are likely to lead Kyle to behave abnormally, and it is useful to conduct their diagnosis.

Lab Tests/Imaging/Questionnaires/Referrals

Some of the tests that can be undertaken include intelligence tests, visual-motor integration, achievement, and language tests considering that Kyle is performing poorly in school. Some of the referrals that can be made include sending the patients to an ophthalmologist, counselor, otolaryngologist, and clinical psychologist, considering that what Kyle is undergoing can be triggered by psychological issues. Additionally, after the divorce, the kid may need someone to talk to them since the treatment that the patients' needs may be psychologically related. There is no specific form of injection or drug that can help Kyle to perform his activities normally. When designing a questionnaire, some questions that am likely to include are whether his parents' divorce affected him or not.

Treatment Plan and Follow-Up Care

The treatment process should begin immediately when the problem is identified. The guardian should be notified and a plan needs to be initiated that will help in ensuring that the treatment process is effective. In this case, the pediatrician should ensure that they take a look at the student's performance in the period preceding the divorce, and after that, to find if the results have a correlation. The professional should extensively talk to Kyle and try to find out the reasons behind the declining grades. From the various questions directed towards Kyle, the pediatrician will manage to gather some details that will help in the treatment process. The doctors should make recommendations that should be followed to help manage the situation. A follow-up program should be created that will enable the doctor to make regular visits to Kyle at school and at home to see if the situation is improving. These follow-ups will allow the physician to know if the previous recommendations given should be changed.

References

Luby, J. L., Belden, A. C., Jackson, J. J., Lessov-Schlaggar, C. N., Harms, M. P., Tillman, R., ... & Barch, D. M. (2016). Early childhood depression and alterations in the trajectory of gray matter maturation in middle childhood and early adolescence. JAMA psychiatry, 73(1), 31-38.

Xu, Y., Yao, S., Wei, H., Zhu, X., Yu, M., & Li, Y. (2018). Application value of selected serum indicators in the differential diagnosis of geriatric depression and transient depressive state. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 14, 459.