NEWS RELEASES
Learning Support Center offers new treatment option

HOUSTON (Jan. 13, 2006) - When toddlers or young elementary-age children act out, most parents think it’s part of normal development. Some children who chronically refuse to follow adult requests, throw tantrums and are aggressive may have oppositional defiant disorder. Young children diagnosed with this common disorder and their parents can benefit from a new therapeutic option being offered by Texas Children’s Learning Support Center for Neurobehavioral Psychology called parent-child interaction therapy.

“Parent-child interaction therapy is a good solution for families struggling with severe behavior issues in children 2 to 7 years old,” says Paige Powell, Ph.D., a child psychologist and coordinator of the Autism and Attachment program in the Learning Support Center.

The approach integrates behavioral and play therapies and focuses on changing negative patterns by decreasing child behavior problems and increasing parenting skills.

“We teach parents new skills and different ways to interact with and parent their child,” explains Powell. “The approach is successful because we work with the family on their individual issues.”  According to Powell, the intervention is designed to work in a short period of time. Research shows improvement in child behavior after eight to 12 sessions. Most families work with a therapist for only 14 to 16 sessions before changes are achieved.

Powell says it’s important for families who are concerned their child may have oppositional defiant disorder or other similar behavior patterns seek treatment early. “This highly persistent disorder tends to get worse with age and is the strongest risk fact for future problem behavior,” she says.  Parents who think their child may benefit from this or any other therapeutic approaches offered by the Learning Support Center should talk to their child’s doctor or call 832-822-3700.