Prevention of behavioral problems in young children.

Behavioral problems in young children are quite common and arise from a complex interaction between child and environmental characteristics. Many are transient disorders related to situational family stresses and will respond to a number of brief intervention approaches or simply the passage of time. As yet we have no accurate way of predicting which children are likely to develop more serious problems in the future. Because of this, systematic screening and treatment of individual children and families does not seem as effective an approach to prevention as a community-wide program designed to improve the support systems available to all families. Examples are quality day care centers, family planning facilities and guidance, parenting resource centers, and home visitor programs. The pediatrician can be an influential person supporting the development of these kinds of programs in his or her community. For families in the pediatrician's own practice he or she can help parents cope with troublesome behaviors through education and brief intervention techniques such as behavior modification and link them with community services for more complex problems. In addition the physician can help to promote "competence" by teaching parents how to interact with their children in more affectionate and cognitively stimulating ways.