Question
Recently, parents have noticed that their children frequently touch their own genitals. Is this behavior abnormal? How should parents respond?
Answer
During the early childhood years, children are full of curiosity about the world around them, including their own bodies. Touching their genitals may simply be part of their exploration of their bodies, similar to exploring fingers and toes. Parents can try the following methods to guide their children:
- Provide other activities to occupy the child’s hands, such as playing with blocks, driving inertia cars, stringing beads, throwing balls into pots, hitting pots and pans to make noise, and playing with music boxes.
- When changing diapers, dress the child in loose and soft pants to reduce the opportunity for them to touch their genitals. If the child cries or fusses as a result, redirect their attention and avoid giving in to prevent the formation of a difficult-to-change habit. Parents should not be overly concerned about this behavior of their children, but they should be careful not to react too strongly to their children touching their genitals, as this may cause psychological harm to the child.