2012

Traditionally, it has been stated that the developmental and preventative assumptions in counseling are defining aspects of the profession and aid in differentiating counseling from other helping professions (Ginter, 1991; Hershenson & Strein, 1991; Kiselica & Look, 1993; Matthews & Skowron, 2004; Myers & Sweeney, 2008). Over the past 30 years, counseling scholars have employed these ideals in research investigations to focus on various client issues, such as eating disorders (Choate & Schwitzer, 2009), suicide (Roswarski & Dunn, 2009), and high risk families (Hogue, Liddle, Becker, & Johnson-Leckrone, 2002). A search for empirical studies in counselor education journals produced by divisions and special interest groups within the American Counseling Association over the past two decades yielded less than ten articles with a focus on direct clinical intervention and prevention with young children (ages 0 to 5 years), especially those from culturally diverse families. Using the pedagogy of counseling as a framework (Nelson & Neufeldt, 1998), the authors articulate an approach to counseling young children they refer to as pediatric counseling. The authors articulate a rationale for the application of core counseling principles to conceptualize, prevent, and intervene when posed with obstacles to young children’s healthy development in the first years of life. Recommendations for counselor training are provided as well as suggestions for future research to advance this body of knowledge.