During the first appointment or 'assessment', Dr. Cheng will meet with you and your child. It is best if both parents can come. The doctor will start by meeting with everyone in the room together. Over the next hour or so, Dr. Cheng will ask many questions to learn about the nature of the difficulties, so that in the end, a plan can be worked out to get things better. Depending on the nature of the problems, it can sometimes take up to a few visits until enough information is gathered.
Things that will be asked about may include:
- Background information -- Who lives at home? What school does the child attend? Any extracurricular activities? Any other professionals or services involved currently?
- Reason for coming -- What (is the problem or difficulty that) brings you to the clinic?
- Goals -- What would you like to see different in the future with your child, or what is it you would like to get from coming to the clinic?
- Onset -- Since when have the problems started?
- Baseline -- How was your child doing normally before the problems started?
- How have things been since the problems started?
- What has been happening that makes you bring your child in now?
- Stressors -- every child (and adult) has stresses. Regardless of whether or not these stresses started the problem, they generally don't help it. Knowing about our stresses, and then dealing with them, is very important. What stresses is your child under? (usual ones include school work, teachers, peers, any bullying, as well as any tension with parents, siblings or other family stresses such as divorce, separation or parent stress)
- Past history -- Any past contact with mental health professionals?
- Safety concerns -- Do you have any safety concerns about your child?
- Medical history -- Any medical problems that your child has?
- Developmental history -- Any troubles with the pregnancy? Any troubles with the delivery? How were the developmental milestones?
- Life history -- Any particular life stresses?
- Family history -- Any family members with similar issues?
Please bring the following to your visit:
- Health Card from Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
- If your child has seen any other professionals (such as psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists or psychiatrists), then please bring those reports with you.
- If your child is on medication, please bring a list, or ideally, the medications themselves.
- A list of any other mental health or health professionals recently consulted
- If your child's issues have been affecting things at school, then feel free to bring information from the school, such as copies of Individualized Education Plans (IEP), psychological reports or school report cards.
Please let our reception know of any change in your basic information such as address or telephone number.