Q: I am concerned about a boy on my son’s baseball team who seems to always be tired, and his parents don’t seem to be around much. What should I do?

This is a situation where it is helpful to be observant and gather information, but also to be mindful of overreacting, the panelists recommended.

“It could be that this child is not into sports but his parents want him to be, or he could be neglected. You don’t want to jump to assumptions, but you do want to show a level of concern,” said panel member Chad Stefanyak.

“Try to talk to the child and get to know him a bit. However, adults have to be cautious. It can be touchy showing concern,” added panel member Denise Continenza.

“This child may just be on the outskirts enough that it may be weird if you go to talk to him,” agreed Stefanyak.

“Children’s lives are usually compartmentalized. His parents may just be working or taking care of younger siblings. You want to make sure you’re not judging,” noted Continenza.

‘”Since this is a kid on your son’s team, it still is delicate at what point you get involved. Do you talk to the coach or talk to the boy’s parents?” asked panel member Terri Hadad.

“If you think this is a child who is neglected, contact Childline and let them investigate and do the research,” Stefanyak said.

Childline is a toll-free hotline, 1-800-932-0313, that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive reports of suspected child abuse and child well-being concerns.

“If you don’t respond and this kid goes through years of neglect, the damage is done. It may be best to err on the side of caution,” Stefanyak said.

“If you are concerned, call it in. However, realistically, you could make that call 10 times a day. Watch for marks on the boy and if he is afraid when his parents come to pick him up,” added Continenza.

Stefanyak said that people are sometimes afraid to call Childline because they have the misconception that the Department of Human Services’ county children and youth agencies “rip families apart.”

“That is not the truth and the result is usually the opposite. Children and youth agencies have a lot of resources for things like food insecurity. You can call and ask, ‘Can I get your opinion on this?” If you’re in doubt, use this resource,” Stefanyak said.

This week’s panel: Chad Stefanyak, school counselor; Denise Continenza, extension educator; Teri Haddad, Community Services for Children’s vice president community initiatives & advancement; Kaitlyn Kelly, Community Services for Children’s assistant director of school readiness; Jasmine Hines, Community Services for Children’s administrative coordinator advancement.

Have a question? Email: jhines@cscinc.org

The Family Project is provided by Community Services for Children’s Project Child.

The Times News, Inc., and affiliates (Lehigh Valley Press) do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the columnist and column do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Lehigh Valley Press. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health-care provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.