Parenting > Behavior Issues
Dealing with Tantrums
If you have a toddler or preschooler, dealing with tantrums might have you almost at the end of your rope. The following are some techniques that I have found very helpful in dealing with tantruming children. Some of these measures need to be taken when children are not tantruming, because there are important steps you can take at times when tantrums are not occurring to reduce their frequency.
The Anxious Child
All children experience anxiety. Anxiety in children is expected and normal at specific times in development. For example, from approximately age 7 months through the preschool years, healthy youngsters may show intense distress (anxiety) at times of separation from their parents or other persons with whom they are close.
Self-Injury In Adolescents
Self-injury is the act of deliberately destroying body tissue, at times to change a way of feeling. Self-injury is seen differently by groups and cultures within society. This appears to have become more popular lately, especially in adolescents.
Children’s Threats: When Are They Serious
Several recent tragedies have involved children shooting and killing individuals after making threats. When this occurs, everyone asks themselves, “How could this happen?” and “Why didn’t we take the threat seriously?”
Discipline
Helping a child to behave in an acceptable manner is a necessary part of raising the child well. Discipline varies at different ages. There is no one right way to raise children, but child and adolescent psychiatrists offer the following general guidelines.
Panic Disorder In Children
Panic disorder is a common and treatable disorder. Children and adolescents with panic disorder have unexpected and repeated periods of intense fear or discomfort, along with other symptoms such as a racing heartbeat or feeling short of breath. These periods are called “panic attacks” and last minutes to hours. Panic attacks frequently develop without warning.
Conduct Disorder
“Conduct disorder” is a complicated group of behavioral and emotional problems in youngsters. Children and adolescents with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. They are often viewed by other children, adults and social agencies as “bad” or delinquent, rather than mentally ill.
Children and Lying
Young children (ages 4-5) often make up stories and tell tall tales. This is normal activity because they enjoy hearing stories and making up stories for fun. These young children may blur the distinction between reality and fantasy.