Table of contents:
- Why do children often play with their penis?
- Playing with the penis can irritate the skin
- The way parents deal with children who often play with their penis
Children are creatures filled with a great curiosity. Not only curious about everything that is happening around him, but also about his own body - including his genitals. Maybe you were surprised when you caught a child playing with his penis, for example when he was showering, after urinating, or while waiting to change his diaper or pants. Don't panic just yet. This is a common thing to happen. So, what should parents do when they see this? Come on, see the following reviews.
Why do children often play with their penis?
The child plays his penis purely to fulfill his curiosity. Children know and learn everything from what they see, including from their bodies. The tendency to explore this part of the body is actually normal for every child, at least until he is 5-6 years old.
This curiosity is also driven by the child's motor and motor skills which have begun to stabilize over time. Babies are able to control their own legs and arms from the age of four to six months so that they can start touching nearby body parts, such as the ears, face and stomach. The greater the range of motion they will have more freedom to touch their body parts, including their genitals.
Children may feel curious about the shape and location of the genitals, according to Bob Sears, a pediatrician in San Clemente, California, as quoted by the Baby Center. Second, when holding the part, the child will experience a new sensation and different from the usual touch so he may do it again to fulfill his curiosity about the new sensation.
Playing with the penis can irritate the skin
The thing to remember, the skin of babies and children is more sensitive than the skin of adults.
That is why although it is a natural phenomenon, the habit of playing the penis can indirectly cause your little one's skin to become irritated due to the friction, pinching and pulling that he does continuously. If left untreated, the irritation can develop into a sore that feels hot and itchy or even an infection that swells up. Moreover, children generally do not wash their hands before holding their penis.
If you know your child has this kind of habit and sees redness, swelling, sores, or signs of irritation around his genitals, immediately consult a doctor for treatment.
The way parents deal with children who often play with their penis
Although normal, the habit of children playing with the penis generally has to disappear or recede when they reach elementary school age.
To prevent this habit from continuing into adulthood, there are a number of things that must be considered by parents to deal with it.
Ask why the child does this
If you catch a child playing with his penis, start approaching your little one by asking why he did it. However, ask in a low voice and don't scold him. Don't also put on a judgmental face that makes your child feel scared and guilty.
If the child responds with "This is funny, what is this, ma'am?" You can answer it with a simple sentence like "That is the penis of the younger brother like daddy also has". Avoid using figurative words, such as "bird". Tell the child the actual name of the organ to make it easier for the child to learn and accept it well, also so as not to appear vulgar. Genitals are a natural and natural part of human anatomy. Don't be shy about teaching it to children.
Slowly, guide the child to stop the habit
Tell your child that carelessly playing with the penis for a long time can make the skin hurt.
Also teach them about the shame when their genitals are seen by others, so that your little one will also be embarrassed if they touch their genitals in public. You can simultaneously teach children not to allow anyone to touch their genitals.
If you react by yelling or punishing your child, he or she will likely turn on the defensive by throwing tantrums and ultimately not listening to your advice.
Distract them
If just telling him doesn't work, then you need a special trick: to distract him. You can distract your child with a toy if you see your child starting to want to play with his penis.
Do not let the child wear pants or diapers for too long
Letting children not wear pants or diapers for too long can open up opportunities for children to play with their penis. You should immediately put your pants or diapers back on after taking a shower or going to the bathroom.
The habit of playing with the penis generally begins to disappear once he enters school, along with the increasing daily activity of the child which consumes his mind and energy. In addition, children also slowly begin to stop the habit because they see their friends not doing this. Children also begin to feel that doing this is embarrassing and disrespectful to do, especially in public places.
If the child is still doing this habit, you may need help from a doctor or psychologist to stop the habit.
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