Early Childhood Series: Managing Challenging Behaviors

Dr. Ellie Erickson, pediatrician, and Dr. Saritha Vermeer, clinical psychologist, review concepts related to social-emotional development in young children and discuss how challenges in these areas can contribute to unwanted or unexpected behaviors at home and in other settings. They discuss how pediatricians can support young patients and their caregivers by screening for challenging behaviors, identifying areas of need, and validating parents' experiences. Dr. Erickson and Dr. Vermeer cover normative child development and use case-based discussions to identify common behavioral concerns that emerge during pediatric visits. Participants learn about straightforward, evidence-based strategies that caregivers can implement and resources that parents can access to help their young children build resilience and strengthen the parent-child relationship.