Infants & Toddlers


Infants and toddlers can experience emotional distress, behavioral difficulties, problems with primary relationships, and atypical development.  Infants/toddlers need positive emotional experiences to develop in a healthy way.  Infants and children who have positive emotional experiences and relationships with their families will develop in a healthy way. These emotional experiences impact the brain development, which lay the foundation for the rest of their development.  In the same way, an infant/child who has not received these positive experiences may be hindered in continued early development. The natural bonding experience may not have happened, affecting the attachment between the mother and the baby.  It is critical to teach and implement behaviors to “wire the relationship” or connection between mother and infant.  The earlier this is resolved, the more likely the infant is to be developmentally back on track. We offer services for infants and toddlers.  These services utilize a family approach, guiding the parents to implement the necessary components for successful resolution of the infant or toddler’s early developmental stages.  This will involve a comprehensive assessment of the infant/child’s medical, social, emotional development, and family history.  Treatment may involve assisting parents in prevention, treatment, and/or understanding of physical, emotional, or neurological delays, attachment disruption, problems of infancy and toddlers, or helping the infant/toddler resolve any major life circumstances that may have impacted the continued successful development of the child. Neurological development is part of the assessment process of the child’s early development.  Exercises and other treatment modalities may be implemented to prevent the child from moving on in chronological age, but not having completed the early foundation of development successfully.

Issues that may need to be addressed through mental health services include the following:

  • Sleep disturbances
  • Feeding issues
  • No smiling
  • Little or no social reciprocity (enjoyment of interaction with others)
  • Frequent crying fits
  • Muscular rigidity
  • Crying frequently throughout the day
  • Extreme separation anxiety
  • Refusing to cuddle with parent
  • Tantrums
  • Problems with toilet training
  • Fears
  • Nightmares/night Terrors
  • Anxiety
  • Adjustment to preschool
  • Limited or no eye contact
  • Aggression
  • Trouble attending to play or social activities
  • Loss of skills in any area of development
  • Self Injurious behaviors
  • Frustration with Communication
  • Little or no emotion
  • Attaching to strangers

Parents may also need to consider mental health services for their children and/or themselves if they are overwhelmed as parents, feeling sad or blue, or know they are having difficulties wanting to bond and attach to their infant or to be with their child.