Sexual Behavior In preschool, school and preadolescents children

Abstract

Sexual behaviors in children are common, occurring in 42 to 73 percent of children by the time they reach 13 years of age. Developmentally appropriate behavior that is common and frequently observed in children includes trying to view another person’s genitals or breasts, standing too close to other persons, and touching their own genitals. Sexual behaviors become less common, less frequent, or more covert after five years of age. Sexual behaviors in infants are rare, with the exception of hand to genital contact. Beyond infancy, sexual behaviors increase as toddlers become more aware of their body parts, including their genitals, physiologic sensations deriving from their genitals, and gender differences. In general, sexual behaviors in children two to five years of age are of a greater variety and are more common compared with the behaviors in children older than five years. once the child becomes aware of social rules regarding sexual behaviors in public, those behaviors become more covert. Sexual behaviors may not necessarily diminish beyond five years of age, but rather the behaviors are not observed by parents as often because children spend less time at home and more time at school, require less supervision, and learn the social norms for concealing sexual behaviors. Sexual behavior should be interpreted with consideration of several factors: the parent’s view of sexuality, family stressors, cultural origins, and day care