Worrying is a part of being a parent, but how do parents know if they are just overreacting?  If their child is having a behavioral problem, where can they go for advice?  According to a study released in 2006 by the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, help is hard to find: “Thirty-five states fall below the average 8.67 child and adolescent psychiatrist per 100,000 children and adolescents. One hundred and ninety metropolitan counties do not even have one child and adolescent psychiatrist.” Because of the shortage of child psychiatrists, most mental health treatment for children is provided by social workers, psychologists, school counselors, pediatricians and adult psychiatrists.  HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEEN GET BACK ON TRACK (Kenneth H. Talan, MD; November 2007, Jessica Kingsley Publishers; Hardcover, $24.95; ISBN: 978-1-84310-870-2; 256 pages) —with its jargon-free language—serves as a tremendously useful resource for parents and clinicians who do not have easy access to a child psychiatrist. 

In HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEEN GET BACK ON TRACK: What Parents and Professional can do for Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems, Dr. Talan walks the reader through the first steps to take when dealing with a child who may have an emotional or behavioral problem.  He gives the red flags and disruptions in development that may cause concern.  He offers solutions parents can implement at home and tells when they should seek professional counsel.  Once the decision is made to get professional intervention, HELP YOUR CHILD OR TEEN GET BACK ON TRACK explains the different treatment options available including: psychological treatment, psychiatric medications, and complementary and alternative therapies. Armed with the various treatment options, parents and professionals can better serve the children in their care.