Again… American society’s blind deference to physicians over psychologists and therapists!
I recently saw Anderson Cooper speak of the immigration issues present. Specifically he showed pictures
that children drew while in the detention centers. Very tragic. However, the issue I have is the following.
He accurately reported that these drawings were sent off to the American Academy of Pediatrics. I know
this sounds all fine and good. However why are you showing pictures to physicians about children’s
drawings and asking about psychological aspects? Why weren’t they sent first and foremost to experts in
the psychology of children? This would be the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. I am
not taking away from pediatric physicians. However child psychologists and therapists and such
specialize in the psychology of children and adolescents. This shows the bias inherent in this culture to
show blind deference to physicians over psychologists on issues. Pediatric physicians specialize in the
medical aspects of children, not the psychological. Unless of course you would send your child to a
psychologist for vaccination information, or for a sore throat. On the face of it this sounds absurd sending
children to a psychologist/therapist. To a psychologist or therapist it is absurd to not initially send these
drawings to child psychologists or therapists.
Look at the website www.aap.org. As you can see the focus is on child and adolescent medicine. Sure, I
don’t doubt they have some psychologists/therapists associated. However the focus is on medicine not
psychology. Now look at https://www.apa.org/about/division/div53. As you read the brief paragraph you
see the focus is on psychology and mental health not medicine.
Again the take home message is you would not send you child to a psychologist/therapist for a sore
throat. Why are people thinking a pediatric physician is so capable and the “go-to” for children’s mental
heath?
Psychology & Philosophy 