By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
(Health Day)
SATURDAY, April 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) — It’s important for children to learn about body safety and boundaries.
Giving them information can help them recognize dangerous situations and can help protect them from abuse.
“Children and adolescents who feel in control of their bodies are less likely to fall prey to sexual abusers,” said Dr. Shalon NienowFellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
“And if they experience abuse, they are more likely to tell a trusted adult – which can make all the difference in stopping the events and then helping them recover from this painful experience,” he said. she said in a press release from the academy.
About 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 20 boys will be victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault before the age of 17.
Nienow is featured in a video that explains how to protect children from sexual abuse. The AAP also offers a number of tips to help parents teach children how to stay safe.
He recommends that parents teach their children the proper names for all parts of the body, including their genitals. Proper names are penis, vagina, breasts and buttocks.
Inventing names for body parts can make them look bad or secret, the AAP noted.
Teach your child which parts are “private”. This includes the parts of their body that are covered by their bathing suit as well as their mouth. It is important for children to know that these places should not be touched or looked at without their permission.
Consider your family’s respect for modesty and model good social boundaries. Teach younger children to give their older siblings their privacy if they ask for it, the AAP suggested.
Don’t force affection, even when your kids don’t want to hug or kiss Grandma or Grandpa.
Teach your child ways to show affection and respect that don’t involve touching, including clapping hands and thumbs up. Emphasize that their body is their control, a concept called bodily autonomy.
Explain “OK” versus “not OK” touches. A caregiver helping with bathing or going to the bathroom can be a good idea, as can a doctor checking that their body is healthy. Most touches are okay and you can reassure your child about this.
Not OK contact is one that they don’t like, that hurts them, makes them feel uncomfortable, confused, scared, or has something to do with their private parts.
Teach children that it is never okay for anyone to look at or touch their private parts without their permission. Tell them they shouldn’t look at or touch other people’s bodies without their permission, the AAP said.
Establish a solid rule about inappropriate touching to help them say “no” to it.
Remind your child to always tell you or another trusted adult if someone touches their private parts or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way, the AAP advised.
Reassure your children that you will listen and believe them if they tell you about unacceptable touching.
Control your child’s exposure to video games, movies, and TV with parental controls and appropriate alternatives that avoid exposure to sexual content.
Your children may see adult sexual behavior in person or on screens and not tell you it happened, the AAP said.
Review this information regularly with your children. You might remind them at bath time, bedtime, doctor visits, and before any new situation.
It is essential to give children the tools to recognize and react to uncomfortable situations.
Expect questions and provide answers based on what’s appropriate for the child’s age, the AAP recommends.
“Always let your child know that you believe in them and that you will do whatever you can to protect them from harm,” Nienow said. “Help them understand that they won’t have any problems if they share information with you that shouldn’t be kept secret. Empower them to tell another trusted adult if they are too uncomfortable to tell you.
Talk to your child’s pediatrician if you have questions about how to protect your child from harm, including sexual abuse.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics, press release, April 11, 2023
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