You may have noticed a change at home, heard a concern from school, or simply feel unsure about what your child needs. You do not have to decide on a diagnosis before asking for help.
Start with what you have noticed
Write down a few concrete observations: what has changed, when it began, and how it is affecting home, school, friendships, or everyday life. Make room for your child’s account, too. A pediatrician or an appropriate mental health professional can help you consider the next step.
If there is an immediate safety concern, use urgent services rather than waiting for a routine appointment. Call or text 988 for crisis support in the U.S.; call 911 for an immediate emergency.
Choose an entry point
- A younger child: Ask a pediatrician about assessment and referral options. CHC and TRAIN describe child-focused services; confirm age fit and whether caregiver participation is part of the work.
- A teen or young adult: allcove Palo Alto serves young people ages 12–25. ACS also describes youth and family counseling programs. Ask each about the level of support available.
- A concern showing up at school: Contact your child’s school support team. PAUSD’s resource page provides a starting point for enrolled families. Students in other districts should use their own district’s guidance.
- A need for specialist care: Stanford Children’s Health describes child and adolescent psychiatry services. Ask about referrals, intake requirements, and current availability.
Questions for the first call
- Do you work with children of this age and with this concern?
- What happens in the first appointment, and who attends?
- How are parents involved, and how is the young person’s privacy handled?
- What are the fees, insurance arrangements, and likely wait?
- If the service is not the right fit, can you suggest another entry point?
Offer an invitation, not a perfect speech
You might say, “I’ve noticed things have felt harder lately. I’d like us to find someone who can help us understand what is going on.” Adapt the words to your child’s age. It can help to ask what would make a first conversation feel more manageable.
About this practice: Shawn’s services with Shawn are adult individual and couples therapy. The child and teen options in the directory are independent providers.
Editorial draft prepared with Astra for this website. No clinician reviewer is represented as having approved this draft.
Sources & editorial note
Prepared September 7, 2026. This is general service-navigation information, not an assessment or treatment plan.