Is your kid behaving so?
Thumb sucking even at the age of 5 or 6, bed wetting, eating soil and wax, drinking kerosene or medicines – if we begin to make a list of kids’ bad habits it won’t end there. In most cases, as kid grow older those bad habits disappear gradually one after the other. But sometimes, it may remain as a head ache to parents. It affects kids as well. More than diseases they are defects in personal traits. Through proper caring and certain techniques, most of such habits can be changed.
Thumb and finger sucking
Many of us often enjoy babies sucking their thumb and little finger. But if he doesn’t leave this habit even after four, everyone will make fun of him. You can’t neglect it as a simple thing.
For parents:
It’s a bad habit seen in young kids. If a kid of 4 or 5 months old sucks his fingers, it’s nothing strange. It is nothing unordinary if he continues this habit till 1.5 years. It’s most common in kids between 1.5 and 2 years old. But if he continues the habit after 4 years, it needs your attention. It’s often said, it’s most seen in kids who get less feeding milk from mother. It’s true also. Kids get love and care most from his mother while she is feeding him. His mind will be joyful and calm also, during those hours.
If he continues finger sucking as a habit, dirt in his fingers can also go inside his stomach causing many diseases. This habit is most seen in kids who feel bored and have fewer activities. So, best thing that can be done is to keep him engaged in some form of activities. Never leave him alone. Instead father or mother should try to spend a few hours with him. If he begins to do that habit, give a toy in his hand to distract his attention. You can play games with him also. Still, if this habit persists after 4, consult a psychiatrist and do necessary steps as instructed.
Showing anger by rolling in floor
There are some mischievous kids who change their mood all of a sudden, if he doesn’t get the desired object in hand. If we deny any of his needs, he may show anger and roll on floor crying, expressing it. Some kids may crack their heads in nearby wall or throw things. Some may even bite or beat persons nearby if we deny his favourite toy or game. How can we change this bad habit?
For parents:
This tendency of kids is known as ‘temper tantrum’ in scientific terms. It’s most common in kids in the age group 1.5 to 3 years. There are many reasons behind it. This group of kids a greater tendency to do things against their parents’ desire. Desire to do things which he gets ‘no’ is known as negativism. If we ask him not to put on an electric switch he temps to deny our instruction. When we denies again, he may show his anger by biting us or shouting or rolling in floor. Normally, such habits slowly withdraw from three to six.
For treating such kids parents need to take certain practical methods. Suppose you are taking him for a shopping. If he feels hunger, he exhibits in the form of temper tantrum. So, fill his stomach well before taking him for a purchase. It’s most safe to control him as soon as he starts showing signs. You can experiment another technique. It’s known as ‘Timeout Procedure’. A one-year old child can remain safe for 1 minute without anyone’s help. Similarly a three year old can remain so for 3 minutes. When he exhibits such characteristics, just allow him to lie on the floor, never prevent him. But keep proper attention without his knowledge. Gradually he will give up his bad habit when he understands that his parents are not going to fulfill his desire.
Very often, it’s just a trick of kids to shout and lie on floor to buy his favourite toy or do any activity according to his desire. When he gets everything he want while conducting this procedure, he repeats the same thing for bigger desires and expensive toys. Just leave him for a minute and make him feel that his trick won’t work. Gradually he will leave that habit.
Bed wetting
It’s a common habit in the early ages. When he reaches 3 or 4, normally it’s not seen. But if he continues at the age of 4 or 5, you need to take proper care of it. But never make fun of him or scold him.
For parents:
Small babies wet clothes and bed. It’s a common habit. But if he continues the habit even at five, this condition is known as aneurosis or bed wetting and he needs treatment. It’s seen in 5-7% kids above age 5. 99% such cases are hereditary!
It may be noticed as two types – primary or secondary. In primary condition, he can’t control his urination at night time and in second type, the kid who left that habit at the age of two restarts it again.
In secondary type, some physical and mental factors are also included. Pus in urine, worms, nervous disorders, tensions, mental resistance to some undesired situations etc may result in bed wetting. When a new kid is born in the family or if he losses some dear one, aneurosis may develop. The secondary type needs treatment. Behaviour therapy may be used in primary type and it’s often seen that this bed wetting may exist in kids till they turn 18! Medicines will be given only later.
- Kid is asked to attain power to control urination during day time. Gradually it increases the capacity of urinary bladder.
- Such kids should not be given excess water after lunch or milk before sleep. He should be asked to urinate before sleep. Before elders sleep, he may be urinated once again.
- If he still continues this habit, never change his dress or blankets. When he wakes up in the morning he should feel the wet of clothes and bad smell. Ask them to clean those clothes and blankets which gradually develop a feeling in his subconscious mind. So, during sleep if he feels to urinate he will go to bath room.
- Never tease him or tell about this bad habit to relatives, particularly in front of him.
- Another technique is electronic sensoring. When the bed begins to wet it gives an alarm signal. Kid wakes up and goes to bathroom.
If the above methods are not giving you desired result, then he needs to take medicines. Some medicines if stopped can bring back that behaviour.
Stop breathing after crying
You may have noticed many kids who stop breathing if he cries too much. It may raise fear in everyone around. Who knows, it’s just his trick or a bad habit!
For parents:
Some kids cry continuously without any stop. If so, he won’t breathe properly and it may lead to drop of oxygen in his blood suddenly. The kid may become blue or pale in colour as well. If brain doesn’t get sufficient oxygen, fits may occur.
It’s just a powerful response of the kid to undesired things. It’s most seen in kids in the age group 6 months to one year. But if such conditions are noticed around one year, you need to confirm if it’s not a part of a heart disease or disorder. If he cries for fulfilling undesired things his body may become blue while it turns pale if he cries due to severe pain. It may even occur when he is given injection or if his head hits a wall suddenly giving him pain. It’s most seen in kids with iron deficiencies.
You should take extra care while dealing with such kids. Never take anything from his hands forcefully. You need to deviate his attention showing him something else before doing so. If he falls unconscious consult a doctor as early as possible. You should try to change this habit as early as possible.
Nail biting
It’s a usual habit of kids, most common in elders as well. It’s most seen in elder kids than younger ones. Nail biting and cuticle biting can give many health related problems. So, change this habit as early as possible.
For parents:
Anxiety and tensions – the major reasons for nail biting! Kids may even imitate elder ones to develop this trait. If tensions and anxieties are the reasons for the habit, it’s the duty of parents to find the reasons and solutions as well. You can ask him to do any favourite activity or game to change his bad thoughts. Try to change this habit at early stages itself. Otherwise it will become very difficult when he grows up. This habit also shows shyness or lack of confidence. So, parents should appreciate him for his good deeds and nice habits so that he grows self confidence within himself. It can surely help him to leave the nail biting habit.
Eating soil and hair
We have heard about many kids who eat soil while playing in courtyard. Some kids have strange habits of eating paper, plastic and even hair. Why is it happening so?
For parents:
Not only soil, kids may eat many common things seen around. This defect is known as ‘pica’ in scientific terms. Charcoal, soil, mud, clay, soap, wax, paper, hair etc are some of those common things. Those kids having pica traits may put anything they get into their mouths. This habit develops when he is just 4 months old and may stay with him still he reaches two. If a kid eats soil one day, it doesn’t mean he has pica. But if he continues the same habit whenever he gets an occasion, it can be called so.
Eating hair is also a defect. Hair can’t be digested by our stomach or intestine. So, those hairs will be accumulated somewhere in our stomach as balls. Such hair balls are known as tricobasover and this defect is known as tricophagia. This hair swallowing habit is also known as tricotillomania.
Pica is also seen in kids having iron deficiencies. When his body is supplied with sufficient iron supplements he leaves that habit. It’s also seen in kids who suffer from mental retardness. If kid doesn’t get proper attention from his parents he may develop this habit.
Through intake of such substances, many poisonous substances like metal ores will be accumulated in kid’s body resulting in infections, viral attack, worm attack, dysentery or even death. If kid is normal without any mental disorders you can check if he is supplied with proper nutritious food.
Teeth grinding
Many mothers often complain that her kid grinds teeth while sleeping. Sound caused due to this bad habit may disturb your sleep as well.
For parents:
It’s most seen in kids below five years and it’s known as bruxium in scientific terms. It’s most common during sleep at night. Though many mothers say it’s due to worm attack, no scientific explanations have derived yet. Anxieties and tensions of day time may lead to teeth grinding at night – say experts.
Try to make his mind calm before sleep. You can tell him some good fairy tales with good messages as well. Those kids having defects in mental growth develop such traits easily. If it’s not solved through proper caring of parents, never hesitate to seek help of a psychiatrist.
From my observation:
Bed wetting, nail biting, eating unusual things, rolling on floor, thumb sucking or crying without taking air – how many mischieves of kids are we noting every day in kids around us. Have you noticed all those habits have been developed later? Not formed along with his birth. In most cases, it’s just a kid’s trick to get our attention or a desired object. Very often, to do activities he desire. How many activities are we people doing to fulfill our desires without caring others? Observing us, if kids also develop such traits can we blame them? Never! So it’s better to behave well in front of kids giving them good inspiring lessons to follow. Also, brains of kids are not developed as ours. So, we need to keep patience and give intense care while trying to bring them back to real world. It’s possible, of course!
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