Common child behavior problems and handling

  1.What is a behavior problem?  A: When a child’s behavior does not fit with the social and cultural context in which he or she lives, it is called a behavior problem. Children’s behavior problems are more common during the development process and have a great impact on children’s physical and mental health. Recent survey data shows that the detection rate of behavior problems among children and adolescents in China is 8.3%~12.9%. Children’s behavior problems are manifested in children’s daily life and are easily ignored by parents or overestimated seriously. Therefore, it is very necessary to distinguish normal and abnormal child behavior, and there are various scales for measuring child behavior that can be used to help distinguish abnormal behavior problems in children.  2.What types of behavior problems can children be divided into?  A: Children’s behavior problems can generally be divided into the following categories: (1) Biological function behavior problems, such as urination, excessive dreaming, sleep deprivation, night terrors, anorexia, picky eating, etc.  (2) Motor behavior problems, such as leg rubbing syndrome in children, nail biting, finger sucking, lip biting or sucking, excessive activity, etc.  (3) Social behavior problems: such as vandalism, stealing, lying, aggression, etc.  (4) Personality behavior problems: such as breath-holding episodes, panic, shyness, depression, social withdrawal, poor interaction, disobedience, agitation, irritability, timidity, over-dependence, over-sensitivity, jealousy, tantrums, etc.  (5) Language problems: such as lagging language development, stuttering, etc.  Boys often have more behavioral problems than girls, and boys mostly show motor and social behavior problems; girls mostly show character behavior problems.  3.What should I do when I find that my child has behavioral problems?  A: Research in modern psychology shows that behavior is not innate, but acquired through learning. The same genetic qualities can develop very different behavioral styles. In this sense, character and behavior are shaped later in life, and behavior can be changed. Thus early education and the creation of a special environment can have an immeasurable impact on a child’s personality and behavior. The occurrence of behavioral problems in children is mostly significantly related to parents’ expectations of their children, parenting style, parents’ culture, and learning environment. Therefore, once children are found to have behavior problems, parents should focus on finding the causes, improving parenting style, and creating a good environment for children to grow up in, such as long-term failure to correct, serious problems, must receive early counseling guidance.