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Child Psychology: Tips to Understand your Child Better
Child Psychology is a vast subject. It tells you about the growth of an individual from infancy until the end of adolescence and how each child is different from the other, not just physically but also in their thought process and personality.
A child is said to be like soft clay. He takes shape just the way you mold him. Therefore understanding your child is of utmost importance for all parents.
What is Child Psychology?
Child Psychology is a field of study which delves into the mental, emotional and behavioral development of a child. It traces the entire journey of a child from infancy until the end of adolescence and studies their cognitive and intellectual development.
Importance of Understanding Child Psychology
The early years of an individual’s life are crucial for their emotional, social and physical wellbeing. This has an overall impact on their personalities as an adult. Research says that the early years play a significant role in brain development too. A person's early experiences both with their parents as well as with the outside world profoundly affect their future physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.
Tips to Understand Child Psychology
Understanding the psychological needs of a child is not easy, but it needs to be done. Children at different stages of development behave in different ways. A child of 5 – 6 years will behave differently than an adolescent.
Realising and accepting your child’s likes, dislikes, qualities (good or bad) is the key to being a good parent. When you accept them just the way they are, they get a sense of security. Here are a few tips to help you understand your child:
1. Observe
You need to know your child if you want to understand him. It is possible to do so simply by being around him and observing him. When you see him playing, asking for a certain thing, reacting in a certain manner to situations, his interaction with others, etc., you get to know a great deal about his overall personality.
2. Be your Child’s Best Friend
Making your child realize that you are always there for him whenever he needs you can be your first step towards attaining this goal. This will make him feel secure, loved and wanted. Help him to open up to you.
3. Spend Quality Time with your Child
Being around your child isn’t enough. To know him better do activities together like playing games, cooking (children are always eager to help), cleaning up cupboards or his room, etc.
4. Praise your Child
Praising him for good work done will boost his self-esteem. However, overpraise can make him arrogant and snobbish.
5. Listen
By listening to your child, you get to know him more. Doing so will make him feel that you are interested in his life. This will in turn help to strengthen the bond between you two.
6. Talking
Talking to your child that are of interest to him could help him open up to you. In this way, you could initiate conversations more easily and get to know your child better.
7. Give Full Attention while Talking
Always maintain eye contact while talking to your child. By doing so, you will make sure your child believes that you are listening and what he's saying is of utmost importance to you.
8. Give Respect
When your child talks about any of his insecurities, fears, or any situation where he has been put to shame, do not laugh or ridicule him. You need to understand that for a child (especially during his adolescent years), it isn’t particularly easy to open up. It must have taken a lot of courage on his part to do so.
9. Explaining
Children up to the age of 5 – 6 will abide by all the rules created by you or the decisions you have taken for their betterment. The real problem lies with adolescents. Blame it on their age. In such situations just try and explain as to why you had to take a certain decision or do a certain thing. At that moment they may be angry with you, but eventually, with time, they will understand.
10. Taking Opinion
Ask for his opinion where it is necessary. Doing so will make him feel important and will raise his self-worth.
11. Discovering the Reasons Behind his Behaviour
If your child has been misbehaving or has shown some negative behaviour, try to find out the cause behind it. By doing so, you will find out where you've been going wrong as a parent, and it will give you a chance to enhance your parenting skills.
12. Knowing their Likes and Dislikes
Knowledge about what your child likes and dislikes will also help you know them better.
13. Freedom of Expression
Allow your child to express himself the way he wants to. You could get a glimpse of how he thinks or what he wants.
14. Don’t be Too Curious
Every parent is eager to know what is happening in their child’s life especially in case your child is an adolescent but don’t be overly curious. Too much curiosity on your part could make him feel that you don’t believe in him and this could end the bond between the two of you.
15. Think Like Them
It is important to think like them while talking to them or doing an activity together. This will give him a sense of familiarity.
16. Let their Imagination Take Wings
While taking a stroll with your little one, observe him. He may see something quite different to what you are seeing. Do not stop him when he does so. This will help you get an insight into his inner world.
Recognizing the Problems with the Child’s Psychological Development
Parents have an innate ability to understand when something is not right with their child. So how can you as parent get a clear idea as to what is going on? It’s best to ask people who are close to your child.
1. Friends
Ask friends who have children in the similar age group and find out what their child is like? Do they speak, are they able to write, eat on their own, follow instructions, etc. In case of an adolescent kid, you could ask his friends how he is at school, his behavior towards his peers and others, etc.
2. Internet
You may also search the internet for your queries.
3. Teacher
During Parent-Teacher Meets, the teacher may also be able to throw some light on your child mental health and wellbeing in general. You may ask her if she has noticed anything different in your child.
4. Care–Giver
In today's time in many families when both parents are working, it is necessary to hire a babysitter/ayah for your kid. She is the one who gets to be with him the most. Therefore, she is the best person to ask when you feel that something is amiss.
5. Paediatrician
A Doctor can easily detect any shortcomings in a child during the scheduled visits for vaccination or check-up.
6. Psychologists
He will be the best person to answer any queries regarding child psychology. He can help in case of any behavioral issues like depression, low self-esteem, anxiety/phobias or different types of disorders like Autism, ADHD, etc. in the child.
What are the Different Psychological Disorders in Children?
Many psychiatric disorders in children are due to the physiological genetic constituent. However, there are many of them without any physical causes. Some disorders may be diagnosed early in life, but some are not detected until adulthood. Here is a list of them:
1. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
In ADHD a child has problems in paying attention and is hyperactive. His actions are difficult to control.
2. Intellectual Disability
In this case, the child has limitations in intellectual functioning and is significantly impaired in adaptive behavior.
3. Autism Spectrum Disorder
It is a serious developmental disorder in which the child can neither communicate nor interact. It affects the nervous system and overall development of the individual.
4. Conduct Disorder
It is diagnosed either during childhood or adolescence. Children with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way.
5. Adjustment Disorder
It is characterized by a group of symptoms like stress, feeling sad or hopeless and physical symptoms of losing weight etc. This usually occurs due to a serious emotional event like the death of a near one, shifting to some other place, change of school etc.
6. Bipolar Disorder
It is also called Manic Depression or Manic-Depressive illness. It is characterized by severe mood swings, hyperactive and socially unacceptable behaviour, insomnia, depression or an irritable mood during a depressive episode, feeling of being superior to others and suicidal tendencies in older children and teenagers.
7. Adopted Child Syndrome
It is a disorder found among some adopted kids and happens due to a number of psychological and emotional problems like bonding with the adoptive parents, an attachment to the place they lived in earlier or the people they were living with. It often results in lying, stealing and aggressive behaviour towards the adoptive parents.
8. Stereotypic Movement Disorder
It is a Disorder in which the person engages in a repetitive purposeless movement which may interfere with the child’s normal daily functioning. This disorder mostly occurs in children with Autism, Intellectual disabilities or Developmental disabilities.
9. Childhood Schizophrenia
It is a rare disorder in children but severe mental disorder in which children interpret reality abnormally. In this type of disorder, the child may experience hallucinations, delusions and extremely disordered thinking and exhibit behaviour which may affect everyday life.
10. Selective Mutism
It is a childhood Anxiety Disorder and is mainly a child’s inability to speak and communicate in social settings like school or any place where they do not feel secure and comfortable.
11. Sluggish Cognitive Tempo
An Attention Disorder where the child seems to be in a different world and is sleepy, lethargic, hypoactive and confused. He also moves about slowly and is often found staring at random objects for a prolonged period.
12. Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
It is a mental disorder that occurs in children and adolescents. It is a condition in which a child experiences extreme irritability, anger, and frequent intense temper outburst.
How can a Child Psychologist Help?
Childhood Development psychology is a vast and varied subject. It is not easy for a layperson to answer questions on it or help a child with psychological development problems. In such cases, only a specialist could help. Child Psycho-therapists can help in a lot of ways. They are trained to help children with family problems, issues at school, health-related problems, and difficult relationships. They also specialize in helping children with disorders like ADHD, Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, etc.
Child Psycho-therapists also work on the development of a child’s mental health and focus on their overall development-cognitive, social, emotional and linguistic.
Childhood is a very important phase. A bad childhood could have a negative impact on the individual's adulthood as well. Therefore awareness of your child’s personality is an essential part of parenting. Only if you know your child well will you be able to focus on his talents and positives which in turn will give him a well-rounded personality in the years to come. Read more
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It Is Now Possible to Eat Less, Really!
Looking for smarter ways to stop eating too much? With these right tricks up your sleeve, look forward to cutting back on your eats and calories alike. Yes, when you get fewer chances to salivate you can walk out of groceries and eateries without packing in too much!
Face it. You're attracted to food and have strong impulses that make you gorge on everything that comes your way. Sweet or savoury, there's barely any stopping you. Although, good food can put a smile in your tummy, copious amounts of it can ruin your health. Starting today, eat less with these proven hacks that'll go a long way in helping you strike a happy balance between food and health.
How to Control Eating Too Much
1. Sugarless Gum During Grocery Visits
According to research based studies; chewing gum while moving along the aisles of grocery stores makes you gravitate towards healthier things, rather than packed food, junk and other avoidable edibles. The reason is simple. Buying foodstuff on a hungry tummy makes you binge on wrong, but visually appealing food items. Chewing sugarless gum also kills your hunger pangs, thereby curbing your junk cravings!
2. Stock Up on The Healthier Options First
In general; buffet-table diners are known to take huge helpings of the food items they see first. So, one of the best ways to stop eating so much relates to cutting back on sides and heavier meats and focusing your attention on the ‘good-eats’ only. When surveying the spread at your office canteen, party, or local cafeteria, remember to pile on healthier salads, whole grains or veggies--before reaching out for anything else.
3. Go The Cash Payment Way
Most junk food eaters or those with a sweet tooth, are prone to buying and eating more when paying with plastic. Ranking high on the tips to eat less buying your meals in cash will help you cut back on less-healthy foods such as chocolates, chips, cookies, and so forth, while grabbing the healthier fare happily.
4. No More Cooking Shows
Stop watching foodies gorge upon good stuff on TV, give master chef shows a miss, and stack all enticing cook books away. It's confirmed that even people on strict diets end up eating a lot more while watching food shows than otherwise. Ok! We might be exaggerating, but ONLY a wee bit.
5. Choose The Smallest Serving Plates and Bowls
The overall size of your serving utensils or bowls give off signals about how much food you're supposed to consume. Well, as bigger dishes translate to bigger helpings in most cases, it's best to steer clear of the same. Pick plates that are mid-sized so your portions are restrained.
Last but certainly not the least, do know when to hit the “stop” button and soon enough you'll learn how to eat less food. Gluttony will never yield good results and will make you suffer from digestive and various other health related problems in the long run. Eating too much will leave you depressed and wanting for more. So, adopt the JCB (Just Cut Back) approach during your meal times, even if you are being force fed, and look forward to meeting a fitter you! Read more
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Subchorionic Bleeding (Hematoma) During Pregnancy
I am a mother of a two-year-old daughter. After suffering from a miscarriage last year, I had a very tough time dealing with depression. All I ever wanted was to hold my second child in my arms. My husband and I share a beautiful relationship. Much to our surprise, we found out on Valentine's Day that I was expecting. Things were going great until I completed 12 weeks. On an ordinary evening, I finished bathing my daughter and sat down to relax and watch TV.
Suddenly, I felt a gush of fluid down my pants. I experienced the worst of my fears. It was bright red blood! I almost collapsed in shock and thought that I had lost my baby. This pregnancy was valuable to me. I screamed in panic and was rushed to the hospital. I felt cold and hopeless.
As I was lying down in the casualty, I expected the worst news. But things took an unexpected turn. An ultrasound scan was performed which revealed that my baby was doing just fine but I had hematoma which caused the bleeding. At first, I was relieved because the baby was doing fine but as the doctor explained the possible outcomes, I was worried again. The doctor explained several instances including how a hematoma is formed behind the placenta and can detach it. The bleeding stopped and I was warned that it can happen again. I was on bed rest.
After this incident, I had another major episode of bleeding while I visited the hospital. I was admitted again and there was an increase in the size of the hematoma. But my baby was doing just fine. I stopped bleeding the next day. After spending a few days in the hospital, I got a discharged.
The last ultrasound scan revealed that the hematoma is near the cervical opening, away from the placenta. I am in the 20th week of my pregnancy and have spotted brown blood for more than four weeks. I am hoping that this issue will subside and I will have my baby. Feeling the movements of my child in my womb gives me a sense of happiness. I have four months to go and I'm staying strong.
Through this experience, I have learned that bleeding in pregnancy does not always mean a loss, all you have to do is stay strong and hope for the best!
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her.
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Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
12 hours ago
Q. mam i am 21 week continuing in my pregnancy but my baby not moving as much
Dr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
11 hours ago
A. pl do ultrasound. better to show to specialist always as they get the correct diagnosis. try to avoid self and extra medication that will only complicate this and create more damage to the child
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Mom of a Newborn child
11 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts what is muconium staining?
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
11 hours ago
A. due to feetal distance that will be mcconium passing in the uterine cavity itself. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
11 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts What should I buy for my baby however I'm just expecting in 2 month
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
10 hours ago
A. you can get information regarding essentials of the new ones watch any YouTube channel. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 5 months
10 hours ago
Q. I got faint line all my pregnancy test and I missed my periods for 10 days but USG and TVs test confirm there is no pregnancy is there any chance that it is very early stage that's why it is not visible???? or TVs test is the last thing that can tell that really there is no pregnancy
Read moreRashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
10 hours ago
A. I think it would be advisable for you to get an ultrasound done with your doctor that’s going to give you a clarity because if there is a pregnancy it would be visible at least at least that sack is visible if it’s a regular pregnancy so it would be advisable to have a test with your doctor
Dr. Minal Acharya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
6 hours ago
Q. mere twins baby girl and boyhai one month 8 days old kya mai ghutti de sakte hun ya gripe water de sakte hun aur kab se start kar sakte hun
Dr. Minal Acharya
Nutritionist
6 hours ago
A. dear Mum, you should not give any sort of gripe water or ghutti to your baby. these are unhealthy and dangerous and can cause infection to your baby. so, these should be completely avoided.
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
5 hours ago
Q. I am currently 32 week pregnant.I recently had growth scan.mu baby is in cephalic presentation. Does this change as I approach my due date. Also my EDD is July 25 and EDC is July 2. what is my expected due date. Also what is EDC?
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
5 hours ago
A. edc is expected date of delivery only.
that is 40 weeks
You will get more information for your query with your family doctor. You may meet your dr in person for proper guidance .
It is important to remain in contact with your doctor.
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