Check your Child Parents/Guardians/Authorities/Caretakers

Check your Child
Parents/Guardians/Authorities/Caretakers are only responsible for all the developments in a
child i.e. for their both physical and mental or intellectual or psychological developments. These
are only the root developers of their psychological and intellectual developments which guide
them to make their own life. These peoples are the root installers of different information or
data in to the children’s mind, not only by explored information and experiences by their own
but also lessons taught from their Parents/Grandparents/Guardians/Authorities/Caretakers and
major sources of knowledge from the society they live in. A child get installed initially with
various information or data and experiences or feelings starting from their family members,
friends, neighbors or society they live in and after that secondary sources like books,
educations, television, films, radio, news papers etc. they come across and whatever taught to
them as an authority. In short child get highly influenced and impacted with their family and
their surroundings. The mental health of a child is totally depends upon the people or society
they linked in and with their activities. A child’s mind results as good or bad i.e. healthy or
unhealthy as they treated with their environment or they influenced the types of peoples they
come across. As we need good food for a good health like that, it is very much necessary to
feed their mind with good information for a healthy mind and good intellectual abilities. Good
intellectual development is totally depends upon the good and healthy mental environment or
surrounding those children come across and if the main and secondary sources are unhealthy
then same can be expected from the children. Unhealthy environment is only the reason for
children’s bad or sick or ill mental health and there is very less probability of reasons like
neurological or genetical problems. These unhealthy environments are only responsible for
behavioral disorders in a child and if they are not timely counseled for editing their behavioral
disorders then become an active antisocial member in the society and in habitual practice
become a criminal or sociopath in the planet. That little mentally sick or ill child in their adult or
men hood not only harms to his surroundings, if they are well talented high profile sociopath
then affects to whole community or our society and planet. It’s very much necessary to check
all people’s behavior exposed to the children i.e. anybody with any age including their friends,
with any sex and with any profession. If you detect peoples with suspicious behavioral or
conduct disorders having contacts with your children of any kind or any bad source of media is
being exposed to them in any forms then ban them from those peoples and things immediately
and counsel them as soon as possible to protect them from those evils. Try to make them easy
way of understanding to those facts which are good and bad, what should and what should not
acceptable for a good human being but not by any enforcement. Enforcement can develop
negative reactions in a child due to bans and lack of understandings. They might damage
themselves internally without your prior knowledge due to lack of understandings and your
negligence. We can stop many crimes, social evils and problems by checking their mental illness
growth in their childhood below 15 years of their age i.e. in their school level. Here are some
mental disorders or behavioral disorders given to check your child whether they are suffering or
developing all these illness. If yes then try to counseling them as soon as possible.
Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD): Disruptive Behavior Disorders involve consistent patterns
of behaviors that “break the rules.” All young people break some rules, especially less
important ones. More serious oppositional behavior is a normal part of childhood for children
two and three years old and for young teenagers. At other times, when young people are
routinely very, very oppositional and defiant of authority, a mental health disorder may be
identified. Disruptive Behavior Disorders in children are characterized by poor social
relationships due to extremes of aggressiveness, lying, defiance, irritability, blaming others,
cruelty, stealing, destructiveness, and rage. Disruptive Behavior Disorders also referred to also
as Behavior Disorders, are the most common reasons children are referred for mental health
practitioners for possible treatment. All disruptive behavior is not the same; Behavior Disorders
is an umbrella term that includes more specific disorders, such as ADHD, Oppositional Defiance
Disorder and Conduct Disorder.
There are three main Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD):
 Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
 Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
 Conduct Disorder (CD)
ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or AD/HD or ADD) is a neurobehavioral
developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional
problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms
starting before seven years of age. ADHD, once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain
dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children. It affects 3 to 5
percent of all children. Two to three times more boys than girls are affected. ADHD often
continues into adolescence and adulthood, and can cause a lifetime of frustrated dreams and
emotional pain. These children may not be able to sit still, plan ahead, finish tasks, or be fully
aware of what's going on around them. To their family, classmates or teachers, they seem to
exist in a whirlwind of disorganized activity. As a result, the disorder can spoil the person's
relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and
diminishing self- esteem. ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric
disorder in children. It is a chronic disorder with 30 to 50 percent of those individuals diagnosed
in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD
tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments.
Signs and symptoms: Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD.
It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for
children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. To be diagnosed
with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is
greater than other children of the same age. The symptom categories of ADHD in children yield
three potential classifications of ADHD—predominantly inattentive type, predominantly
hyperactive-impulsive type, or combined type if criteria for both subtypes are met:
Children who have symptoms of inattention i.e. predominantly inattentive type symptoms may
include:
 Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity
to another
 Have difficulty focusing on one thing
 Becoming easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds
 Failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes
 Rarely following instruction carefully and completely
 Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something
enjoyable
 Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning
something new
 Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g.,
pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
 Not seem to listen when spoken to
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Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
Struggle to follow instructions.
Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity i.e. predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
symptoms may include:
 Fidget and squirm in their seats or feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet, or
squirming
 Talk nonstop
 Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
 Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time
 Be constantly in motion
 Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.
Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:
 Be very impatient
 Having difficulty waiting in line of for a turn
 Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act
without regard for consequences, running, climbing or leaving a seat in situations where
sitting or quiet behaviour is expected
 Blurting out answer before hearing the whole question
 Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games
 Often interrupt conversations or others' activities.
Some additional dysfunction, which are not just incidental symptoms in fact they are hard to
live with; are as follows:
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Lack of foresight, i.e. lack of ability to predict the results of our behaviour, which is a
major adaptive ability of humans.
Poor hindsight, i.e. trouble in learning from mistakes.
ADHD behaviours are often based on reactions taking only the present moment into
account. It is not that the child with ADHD doesn't care about failure; it is that the future
and past don't even exist. Such is the nature of the disability.
Poor organization
Trouble returning to task
Poor sense of time
Poor ability to utilize "self-talk" to work through a problem
Poor sense of self awareness
Gets frustrated easily
Hyper focused at times
Frequently overwhelmed
Gets angry frequently and quickly
Trouble paying attention to others
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Lying, cursing, stealing and blaming others become frequent component of ADHD,
especially as the child gets older
Many parents see signs of an attention deficit in toddlers long before the child enter
school. In many cases the teachers is the first to recognize that a child is hyperactive or
inattentive because teachers work with many children and they come to know how average
children behave in learning situations that require attention and self control. In such cases
parents/ teachers should consult psychologist to assess whether the child has an attention
disorder or is just immature has hyperactivity or is just exuberant.
Can any other conditions produce these symptoms?
There are many conditions that can produce similar behaviours. Few of them are:
• Underachievement at school due to a Learning disability.
• Attention lapses caused by seizures.
• A middle ear infection that causes an intermittent hearing problem
• Disruptive or unresponsive behaviour due to anxiety or depression.
It's also important to realize that during certain stages of development, the majority of
children at that stage tend to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive but do not have ADHD.
Preschoolers have lots of energy and run everywhere they go, but this doesn't mean they are
hyperactive. ADHD is a serious diagnosis that may require long term treatment with counseling
and meditation. Most people exhibit some of these behaviors, but not to the degree where
such behaviors significantly interfere with a person's work, relationships, or studies. The core
impairments are consistent even in different cultural contexts. Symptoms may persist into
adulthood for up to half of children diagnosed with ADHD. Estimating this is difficult as there
are no official diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults. ADHD in adults remains a clinical diagnosis.
The signs and symptoms may differ from those during childhood and adolescence due to the
adaptive processes and avoidance mechanisms learned during the process of socialization.
Comorbid disorders :( In medicine, comorbidity is either the presence of one or more disorders
(or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or disorder, or the effect of such additional
disorders or diseases.) ADHD may accompany other disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Such combinations can greatly complicate diagnosis and treatment. Academic studies and
research in private practice suggest that depression in ADHD appears to be increasingly
prevalent in children as they get older, with a higher rate of increase in girls than in boys, and to
vary in prevalence with the subtype of ADHD. Where a mood disorder complicates ADHD it
would be prudent to treat the mood disorder first, but parents of children who have ADHD
often wish to have the ADHD treated first, because the response to treatment is quicker.
Inattention and "hyperactive" behavior are not the only problems in children with ADHD. ADHD
exists alone in only about 1/3 of the children diagnosed with it. Many co-existing conditions
require other courses of treatment and should be diagnosed separately instead of being
grouped in the ADHD diagnosis. Some of the associated conditions are:
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Oppositional defiant disorder (35%) and conduct disorder (26%) which both are
characterized by antisocial behaviors such as stubbornness, aggression, frequent temper
tantrums, deceitfulness, lying, or stealing, inevitably linking these comorbid disorders
with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD); about half of those with hyperactivity and
ODD or CD develop ASPD in adulthood.
Borderline personality disorder, which was according to a study on 120 female
psychiatric patients diagnosed and treated for BPD associated with ADHD in 70 percent
of those cases.
Primary disorder of vigilance, which is characterized by poor attention and
concentration, as well as difficulties staying awake. These children tend to fidget, yawn
and stretch and appear to be hyperactive in order to remain alert and active.
Mood disorders. Boys diagnosed with the combined subtype have been shown likely to
suffer from a mood disorder.
Bipolar disorder. As many as 25 percent of children with ADHD have bipolar disorder.
Children with this combination may demonstrate more aggression and behavioral
problems than those with ADHD alone.
Anxiety disorder, which has been found to be common in girls diagnosed with the
inattentive subtype of ADHD.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is believed to share a genetic component with
ADHD and shares many of its characteristics
Symptoms of ADHD in short: The child with ADHD who is inattentive will have 6 or more of the
following symptoms:
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Has difficulty following instructions
Has difficulty keeping attention on work or play activities at school and at home
Loses things needed for activities at school and at home
Appears not to listen
Doesn't pay close attention to details
Seems disorganized
Has trouble with tasks that require planning ahead
Forgets things
Is easily distracted
The child with ADHD who is hyperactive/ impulsive will have at least 6 of the following
symptoms:
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Fidgety
Runs or climbs inappropriately
Can't play quietly
Blurts out answers
Interrupts people
Can't stay in seat
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Talks too much
Is always on the go
Has trouble waiting his or her turn
Children who have ADHD have symptoms for at least 6 months.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): ODD is a psychiatric disorder affecting behavior that is
characterized by three characteristics of the child who has ODD are: aggression, defiance and
the constant need to irritate others i.e. aggressiveness and a tendency to purposefully bother
and irritate others. It is often the reason that people seek treatment. When ODD is present with
ADHD, depression, tourette's, anxiety disorders, or other neuropsychiatric disorders, it makes
life with that child far more difficult. For Example, ADHD plus ODD is much worse than ADHD
alone, often enough to make people seek treatment. All children are oppositional from time to
time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey,
and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is often a normal part of
development for two to three year olds and early adolescents. However, openly uncooperative
and hostile behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it
stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level and
when it affects the child’s social, family and academic life. This disorder is more common in
boys than in girls. Some studies have shown that it affects 20% of school-age children.
However, most experts believe this figure is high due to changing definitions of normal
childhood behavior, and possible racial, cultural, and gender biases. This behavior typically
starts by age 8, but it may start as early as the preschool years. This disorder is thought to be
caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. When documenting the
child's behavior; characteristics or behavior patterns should be in place for at least 6 months.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM) as an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior
toward authority figures which goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior. People
who have it may appear very stubborn. Temper tantrums, stealing, bullying, and vandalism are
some of key symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder. The behaviors will have a negative
impact on social and academic functioning. It is important to look for the following
characteristics:
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The child often loses his/her temper
Being angry and resentful.
The child is defiant and doesn't obey rules/routines
The child argues often with adults and peers
Actively defying or refusing to carry out the rules or requests of adults.
The child seems to go out of his/her way to annoy others in very bothersome ways or
deliberately doing things that annoy others
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The child is often lacking accountability and blames others for inappropriate behaviors
i.e. blames others for own mistakes or misbehavior.
The child often seems angry, spiteful and vindictive or seeks revenge
Rude, uncooperative and confrontational attitude
Use of mean-spirited language when upset
Outward and belligerent defiance
The child is often prone to tantrums and will be non-compliant
Touchy or easily annoyed
It is important to exercise caution when reading lists of characteristics, remember that most
children will exhibit many of the characteristics listed, key to determining ODD is the frequency
of the characteristics. The symptoms are usually seen in multiple settings, but may be more
noticeable at home or at school. One to sixteen percent of all school-age children and
adolescents have ODD. The causes of ODD are unknown, but many parents report that their
child with ODD was more rigid and demanding that the child’s siblings from an early age.
Biological, psychological and social factors may have a role. A child presenting with ODD
symptoms should have a comprehensive evaluation. It is important to look for other disorders
which may be present; such as, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning
disabilities, mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder) and anxiety disorders. It may be
difficult to improve the symptoms of ODD without treating the coexisting disorder. Some
children with ODD may go on to develop conduct disorder.
Treatment of ODD may include: Parent Management Training Programs to help parents and
others manage the child’s behavior. Individual Psychotherapy to develop more effective anger
management. Family Psychotherapy to improve communication and mutual understanding.
Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training and Therapies to assist with problem solving and
decrease negativity. Social Skills Training to increase flexibility and improve social skills and
frustration tolerance with peers. Medication may be helpful in controlling some of the more
distressing symptoms of ODD as well as the symptoms related to coexistent conditions such as
ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders. A child with ODD can be very difficult for parents. These
parents need support and understanding. Parents can help their child with ODD in the
following ways:
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Always build on the positives, give the child praise and positive reinforcement when he
shows flexibility or cooperation.
Take a time-out or break if you are about to make the conflict with your child worse, not
better. This is good modeling for your child. Support your child if he decides to take a
time-out to prevent overreacting.
Pick your battles. Since the child with ODD has trouble avoiding power struggles,
prioritize the things you want your child to do. If you give your child a time-out in his
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room for misbehavior, don’t add time for arguing. Say “your time will start when you go
to your room.”
Set up reasonable, age appropriate limits with consequences that can be enforced
consistently.
Maintain interests other than your child with ODD, so that managing your child doesn’t
take all your time and energy. Try to work with and obtain support from the other
adults (teachers, coaches, and spouse) dealing with your child.
Manage your own stress with healthy life choices such as exercise and relaxation. Use
respite care and other breaks as needed
Many children with ODD will respond to the positive parenting techniques. Parents may ask
their pediatrician or family physician to refer them to a child and adolescent psychiatrist or
qualified mental health professional who can diagnose and treat ODD and any coexisting
psychiatric condition.
Conduct disorder (CD): Children with conduct disorder repeatedly violate the personal or
property rights of others and the basic expectations of society. A diagnosis of conduct disorder
is likely if the behavior continues for a period of 6 months or longer. Because of the impact
conduct disorder has on the child and his or her family, neighbors, and adjustment at school,
conduct disorder is known as a disruptive behavior disorder (DBD). Conduct Disorder is a
diagnosis applied to children and teenagers who consistently display certain characteristic
behaviors over a period of time. The most common behaviors are aggression, lying, truancy,
stealing, destructive behavior, bullying, vandalism, and cruelty to people and animals. Formal
classification with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM-IV) defines the essential characteristics as "a persistent pattern of behavior in which the
basic rights of others or major age-appropriate social norms are violated." Conduct disorder is a
disorder of childhood and adolescence that involves chronic behavior problems, such as:
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Defiant, impulsive, or antisocial behavior
Drug use
Criminal activity
How is conduct disorder classified?
There are two types of conduct disorder:
 Early onset where the child shows at least one characteristic before the age of 10 (this is
often associated with ADHD)
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Adolescent-onset type where the child doesn’t show any of the characteristics before
the age of 10. This is the most common type. It is not specific to ADHD, but may occur
with ADHD.
The severity depends on how many problems the child has and his effect on others.
 Mild: has just enough conduct problems to make the diagnosis, causes only minor harm
to others.
 Moderate: several conduct problems, causes moderate harm to others.
 Severe: many conduct problems, causes considerable harm to others.
Behaviors used to classify CD fall into the 4 main categories of (1) aggression toward people and
animals; (2) destruction of property without aggression toward people or animals; (3)
deceitfulness, lying, and theft; and (4) serious violations of rules.
Aggression to people and animals
 Often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others
 Often initiates physical fights
 Has used a weapon that can cause serious physical harm to others (e.g. a bat, brick,
broken bottle, knife, gun etc.)
 Has been physically cruel to people
 Has been physically cruel to animals
 Has stolen while confronting a victim (e.g. mugging, purse snatching, extortion, armed
robbery)
 Has forced someone into sexual activity
Destruction of property
 has deliberately engaged in fire setting with the intention of causing serious damage
 has deliberately destroyed others' property (other than by fire setting)
Deceitfulness or theft
 has broken into someone else's house, building, or car
 often lies to obtain goods or favours or to avoid obligations (i.e., "cons" others)
 has stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting a victim (e.g. shoplifting, but
without breaking and entering; forgery)
Serious violations of rules
 often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 years
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has run away from home overnight at least twice while living in parental or parental
surrogate home (or once without returning for a lengthy period)
 is often truant from school, beginning before age 13 years
CD is present in approximately 9% of boys and 2-9% of girls under the age of 18. Children with
conduct disorder act out aggressively and express anger inappropriately. They engage in a
variety of antisocial and destructive acts, including violence towards people and animals,
destruction of property, lying, stealing, truancy, and running away from home. They often begin
using and abusing drugs and alcohol, and having sex at an early age. Irritability, temper
tantrums, and low self-esteem are common personality traits of children with CD.
Other factors that may make a child more likely to develop conduct disorder include:
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Child abuse
Family conflicts
Genetic defects
Parental drug addiction or alcoholism
Poverty
Early maternal rejection
Separation from parents, without an adequate alternative caregiver
Early institutionalization
Family neglect
Abuse or violence
Parental mental illness
Parental marital discord
Large family size
Crowding
The diagnosis is more common among boys. It is hard to know how common the disorder is,
because many of the qualities necessary to make the diagnosis (such as "defiance" and "rule
breaking") can be hard to define. For an accurate diagnosis, the behavior must be far more
extreme than simple adolescent rebellion or boyish exuberance. Conduct disorder is often
associated with attention-deficit disorder. Both conditions carry a major risk for alcohol and/or
other drug dependence. Conduct disorder also can be an early sign of depression or bipolar
disorder. Children with conduct disorder tend to be impulsive, difficult to control, and
unconcerned about the feelings of others.
Easy identifiable Symptoms: When documenting the child's behavior; characteristics or
behavior patterns should be in place for at least 6 months. The behaviors will have a negative
impact on social and academic functioning. The behaviors are very deliberate. It is important to
look for the following Identifiable characteristics:
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Antisocial behaviors, such as bullying and fighting
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Breaking rules without apparent reason
 Cruel or aggressive behavior toward people and animals (fights, using dangerous
weapons, forced sexual activity, mugging, or purse snatching)
 Destruction of property (deliberately setting fires, breaking and entering, destroying
other people's property)
 Heavy drinking and/or heavy illicit drug use
 Lying to get a favor or avoid obligations
 Running away
 Truancy (beginning before age 13)
 Vandalism
 The child is defiant and doesn't obey rules/routines
 The child argues often with adults and peers
 The child seems to go out of his/her way to bully and harm others
 The child is often lacking accountability and blames others for inappropriate behaviors
 The child often seems angry, spiteful and vindictive and is physically cruel as well as
destructive to property
 The child is non-compliant and difficult to control
 The child violates rules regularly and will destruct property, be involved in theft; start
fights, and lacks respect for authority.
 Early tobacco, alcohol, and substance use and abuse
 The child rarely shows concern for others
 There is also a tendency for this child to run away
These children often make no effort to hide their aggressive behaviors and have difficulty
making close friends. The diagnosis is made based on a history of these kinds of behaviors.
Children with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder also may experience:
 Higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide;
 Academic difficulties;
 Poor relationships with peers or adults;
 Sexually transmitted diseases;
 Difficulty staying in adoptive, foster, or group homes; and
 Higher rates of injuries, school expulsions, and problems with the law.
How is CD Treated?
You have your work cut out for you, CD is by far one of the hardest disorders to treat, let alone
cope with. There are relatively few studies done on the effective treatment for CD. There is no
one way to treat cases of CD. Sometimes, medication is used to treat some of the symptoms,
sometimes psycho therapy and or family therapy is used but more often than anything else,
behavior modification is used. As with all disorders, the earlier a form of consistent treatment is
in place, the greater chance of success.
Best Practices
The best ways to treat a child with CD in and out of the classroom include behavior
management techniques, using a consistent approach to discipline and following through with
positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviors. Be fair but be firm, give respect to get respect.
 Develop consistent behavior expectations.
 Communicate with parents so that strategies are consistent at home and school.
 Apply established consequences immediately, fairly and consistently.
 Establish a quiet cooling off area.
 Teach self talk to relieve stress and anxiety.
 Provide a positive and encouraging classroom environment.
 These children are often lacking confidence and have low self-esteem, promoting both
will be beneficial
 Give praise for appropriate behavior and always provide timely feedback.
 Provide a 'cooling down' area/time out.
 Avoid confrontation and power struggles
 Use Behavior Contracts
Successful treatments require commitment and follow up on a regular basis from both parents
and teachers. Expect setbacks from time to time but know that an ongoing consistent approach
is in the best interest of the child. Remember, even though you put the best of strategies in
place, the outcome may still be negative. However, if you turn the child with CD around, what
an amazing, worthwhile experience!
Other Mental Disorders must be known as awareness
Antisocial personality disorder:
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the
rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood."
Antisocial personality disorder is a psychiatric condition in which a person manipulates,
exploits, or violates the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal. Antisocial personality
disorder is sometimes referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy. However, these two are not
the same. Rather, psychopathy and sociopathy are generally considered subsets of ASPD. Some
researchers, however, believe that ASPD and psychopathy may be separate conditions
altogether. The psychopath is one of the most fascinating and distressing problems of human
experience. For the most part, a psychopath never remains attached to anyone or anything.
They live a "predatory" lifestyle. They feel little or no regret, and little or no remorse - except
when they are caught. They need relationships, but see people as obstacles to overcome and
be eliminated. If not, they see people in terms of how they can be used. They use people for
stimulation, to build their self-esteem and they invariably value people in terms of their
material value (money, property, etc...). A psychopath can have high verbal intelligence, but
they typically lack "emotional intelligence". They can be expert in manipulating others by
playing to their emotions. There is a shallow quality to the emotional aspect of their stories
(i.e., how they felt, why they felt that way, or how others may have felt and why). The lack of
emotional intelligence is the first good sign you may be dealing with a psychopath. A history of
criminal behavior in which they do not seem to learn from their experience, but merely think
about ways to not get caught is the second best sign.
Signs and symptoms
Characteristics of people with antisocial personality disorder may include:
 Apparent lack of remorse or empathy for others
 Persistent lying or stealing
 Cruelty to animals
 Poor behavioral controls — expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats,
aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper
 A history of childhood conduct disorder
 Recurring difficulties with the law
 Promiscuity
 Tendency to violate the boundaries and rights of others
 Aggressive, often violent behavior; prone to getting involved in fights
 Inability to tolerate boredom
 Poor or abusive relationships
 Irresponsible work behavior
 Disregard for safety
Other common characteristics of those with Antisocial Personality Disorder include superficial
charm, swallowed emotions, a distorted sense of self, a constant search for new sensations
(which can have bizarre consequences), and a tendency to physically or verbally abuse peers or
relatives, and manipulation of others without remorse or empathy for the victim. Egocentrism,
megalomania, lack of responsibility, extroversion, excessive hedonism, high impulsivity, and the
desire to experience sensations of control and power can also be present. This type of disorder
does not relate to assaults of panic or to schizophrenia.
These are the most highly researched and recognized characteristics of psychopathic
personality and behavior.
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Glibness/superficial charm
Need for stimulation/prone to
boredom
Conning/manipulative
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Grandiose sense of self worth
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Pathological lying
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Lack of remorse or guilt
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shallow emotional response
Parasitic lifestyle
Promiscuous sexual behavior
Lack of realistic long term goals
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Irresponsibility
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Many short term relationships
Revocation of conditional release
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Callous/lack of empathy
Poor behavioral controls
Early behavioral problems
Impulsivity
Failure to accept responsibility for
their own actions
Juvenile delinquency
Criminal versatility
According to DSM
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition, DSM IV-TR = 301.7, a
widely used manual for diagnosing mental disorders, defines antisocial personality disorder (in
Axis II Cluster B) as:
A) There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others
occurring for as long as either childhood, or in the case of many who are influenced by
environmental factors, around age 15, as indicated by three or more of the following:
1. failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated
by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
2. deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others
for personal profit or pleasure;
3. impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
4. irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or
assaults;
5. reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent
work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt,
mistreated, or stolen from another;
B) The individual is at least 18 years of age.
C) There is evidence of Conduct Disorder with onset before age 15 years.
D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of
Schizophrenia or a Manic Episode.
New evidence points to the fact that children often develop Antisocial Personality Disorder as a
cause of their environment, as well as their genetic line. The individual must be at least 18 years
of age to be diagnosed with this disorder (Criterion B), but those commonly diagnosed with
ASPD as adults were diagnosed with Conduct Disorder as children.
According to WHO
The World Health Organization's ICD-10 defines a conceptually similar disorder to antisocial
personality disorder called (F60.2) Dissocial personality disorder.
It is characterized by at least 3 of the following:
1. Callous unconcern for the feelings of others and lack of the capacity for
empathy.
2. Gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms,
rules, and obligations.
3. Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships.
4. Very low tolerance to frustration and a low threshold for discharge of aggression,
including violence.
5. Incapacity to experience guilt and to profit from experience, particularly
punishment.
6. Markedly prone to blame others or to offer plausible rationalizations for the
behavior bringing the subject into conflict.
7. Persistent irritability.
The criteria specifically rule out conduct disorders. Dissocial personality disorder criteria
differ from those for antisocial and sociopathic personality disorders.
It is a requirement of ICD-10 that a diagnosis of any specific personality disorder also satisfies a
set of general personality disorder criteria.
Sociopath vs. Psychopath:
When someone hears the words psychopath or sociopath they automatically start thinking of
some awful, derange, serial killer. That might have been true years ago, however the
differences in the two have finally been revealed. Before understanding the two personality
disorders, you first must understand what exactly each disorder consists of.
A sociopath is one who is affected with a personality disorder marked by antisocial behavior. A
psychopath is a person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive,
perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse. The two might sound the
same to some; however the differences between sociopaths and psychopaths are very real.
Psychopaths are born with temperamental differences that lead them to being risk seekers,
impulsive, fearless as well as not being able to socialize normally. Sociopaths have normal
temperaments, and their personality disorder tends to affect their lives regarding parenting,
peers, and their intelligence.
Sociopaths can be anyone from your mother, father, best friend, neighbor or even your coworker, and you would not even realize that they are dealing with this disorder that affects
everything in their daily life. Sociopaths go above and beyond themselves to make sure that
other people around them have no idea that their life is something other than what it is. More
than likely you have met sociopaths in your life and not even realize it.
Psychopaths on the other hand are very flamboyant with how they deal with their disorder.
Some famous psychopaths that you might know about are Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez,
Theodore Bundy and David Berkowitz and many more are there as examples in human race.
These men are famous for being some of the most notorious and manipulative serial killers in
history and many more are with different severities living with us but hidden or without caught.
Not all psychopaths are as out there as these men, however their rage is almost always as
intense, it just depends on how they channel it.
Sociopaths have relatively normal temperaments; their personality disorder being more an
effect of negative sociological factors like parental neglect, delinquent peers, poverty, and
extremely low or extremely high intelligence. Both personality disorders are the result of an
interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental factors, but psychopath leans
towards the hereditary whereas sociopath tends towards the environmental. It’s also seen
psychopathic APD people are usually, but not exclusively, associated with low socio-economic
status and urban settings and tend to be of lower intelligence. Sociopaths are usually highly
intelligent, have higher socio-economic status and often come from "normal", "nice", "middleclass" families. People who are physically violent tend to have low self-esteem, low intelligence
and low self-discipline; people who are psychologically violent tend to have low self-esteem,
high self-discipline and high intelligence. There might be more than around 2-3% of both males
and females are psychologically violent but in addition to the DSM-IV estimate only 3% (males)
and 1% (females) for physically violent people.
Paraphilias
Formal name
Abasiophilia
Acrotomophilia
Agalmatophilia
Algolagnia
Common
name
amputee
fetish
Source of arousal
People with impaired mobility
People with amputations
Statues, mannequins and immobility
Pain, particularly involving an erogenous zone;
differs from masochism as there is a
biologically different interpretation of the
sensation rather than a subjective
interpretation
DSM
code
Andromimetophilia
Apotemnophilia
Asphyxiophilia
Autagonistophilia
Autassassinophilia
Autoandrophilia
Autoerotic asphixiation
Autogynephilia
Biastophilia
Chremastistophilia
Chronophilia
Coprophilia
scat
Dacryphilia
Dendrophilia
Emetophilia
Erotic asphyxiation
Erotophonophilia
Exhibitionism
Formicophilia
Forniphilia
Human
furniture
frot
Frotteurism
Gerontophilia
Gynandromorphophilia she-males
Hebephilia
Homeovestism
Hybristophilia
Infantophilia
Kleptophilia
Klismaphilia
Lactophilia
Liquidophilia
Maiesiophilia
Trans men
Having an amputation
Asphyxiation or strangulation
Being on stage or on camera
Being in life-threatening situations
A biological female imagining herself as a male
Self-induced asphyxiation, sometimes to the
point of near unconsciousness
A biological male imagining himself as a
female
Rape of an unconsenting person; see also
consensual rape fantasy
Being robbed or held up
Partners of a widely differing chronological
age
Feces; also known as scat, scatophilia or
fecophilia
Tears or crying
Trees
Vomit
Asphyxia of oneself or others
Murder
Exposing oneself sexually to others, with or
without their consent
Being crawled on by insects
Turning a human being into a piece of
furniture
Rubbing against a non-consenting person
302.89
Elderly people
Women with penises or men cross-dressed as
women.
Pubescent children
Wearing clothing emblematic of one's own sex
Criminals, particularly for cruel or outrageous
crimes
Pedophilia with a focus on children five years
old or younger. (Recently suggested term, not
in general use.)
Stealing; also known as kleptolagnia
Enemas
Breast milk
immersing genitals in liquids
pregnant women
Macrophilia
Mammaphilia
Masochism
Mechanophilia
Menophilia
Morphophilia
Mucophilia
Mysophilia
Narratophilia
BDSM
talking
dirty
Nasophilia
Necrophilia
Olfactophilia
Paraphilic infantilism
Partialism
Paedophilia
Peodeiktophilia
Pedovestism
Pictophilia
Podophilia
Pyrophilia
Raptophilia
foot fetish
Sacofricosis
Sadism
Salirophilia
Sexual fetishism
Somnophilia
Sthenolagnia
Stigmatophilia
Symphorophilia
Telephone scatologia
Teratophilia
BDSM
muscle
worship
Giants, primarily domination by giant women
or men
Breasts; also known as mammagynophilia and
mastofact
suffering; being beaten, bound or otherwise
humiliated
cars or other machines; also "mechaphilia".
Menstruation
Particular body shapes or sizes
Mucus
Dirtiness, soiled or decaying things
Obscene words
Noses
Corpses
Smells
Being a baby; also referred to as
autonepiophilia
Specific, non-genital body parts
Prepubescent children, also spelled
pedophilia. Often confused with hebephilia,
ephebophilia, and pederasty.
Exposing one's penis
Dressing like a child
Pornography or erotic art, particularly pictures
Feet.
Fire
Committing rape, possibly consensual rape
fantasy
Making a hole in a pocket in order to
masturbate unobtrusively in public
Inflicting pain on others
Soiling or dirtying others
Nonliving objects
Sleeping or unconscious people
Muscles and displays of strength
Body piercings and tattoos
Witnessing or staging disasters such as car
accidents
Obscene phone calls, particularly to strangers;
also known as telephonicophilia
Deformed or monstrous people
302.83
302.2
302.84
302.81
Transvestic fetishism
crossdressing
Transvestophilia
Trichophilia
Troilism
cuckolding
Urolagnia
Piss play
Vampirism
Vorarephilia
blood play
vore
Voyeurism
Zoophilia
Zoosadism
Wearing clothes associated with the opposite
sex; also known as transvestism
A transvestite sexual partner
Hair
Cuckoldism, watching one's partner have sex
with someone else, possibly without the third
party's knowledge; also known as triolism
Urination, particularly in public, on others,
and/or being urinated on
Drawing or drinking blood
The idea of eating or being eaten by others;
usually swallowed whole, in one piece
Watching others while naked or having sex,
generally without their knowledge; also
known as scopophilia or scoptophilia.
Animals (actual, not anthropomorphic)
Inflicting pain on or seeing animals in pain
302.3
302.82
Technical terms for non-paraphilic sexual interests
 Androphilia: Sexual interest in men
 Analloerotic: Lacking in sexual interests towards others (but not lacking in sexual drive—
see asexuality)
 Ephebophilia: Sexual preference for individuals in mid-to-late adolescence, typically
ages 15–19.
 Gynephilia: Sexual interest in women
 Teleiophilia: Sexual interest in adults (as opposed to pedophilia, etc.)
Homosexuality
Homosexuality and Bisexuality were listed as paraphilias ("sexual deviations" in the original
terminology) in early versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and
were removed from the third version.
Substance abuse: Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern
of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not
exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts. The
terms have a huge range of definitions related to taking a psychoactive drug or performance
enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. All of these definitions imply a
negative judgment of the drug use in question (compare with the term responsible drug use for
alternative views). Some of the drugs most often associated with this term include alcohol,
amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methaqualone, and opioids. Use of
these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical, social, and
psychological harm, both strongly depending on local jurisdiction. Depending on the actual
compound, drug abuse including alcohol may lead to health problems, social problems,
morbidity, injuries, unprotected sex, violence, deaths, motor vehicle accidents, homicides,
suicides, physical dependence or psychological addiction. There is a high rate of suicide in
alcoholics and drug abusers. The reasons believed to cause the increased risk of suicide include
the long-term abuse of alcohol and drugs causing physiological distortion of brain chemistry as
well as the social isolation. Another factor is the acute intoxicating effects of the drugs may
make suicide more likely to occur. Suicide is also very common in adolescent alcohol abusers,
with 1 in 4 suicides in adolescents being related to alcohol abuse. In the USA approximately 30
percent of suicides are related to alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is also associated with increased
risks of committing criminal offences including child abuse, domestic violence, rapes, burglaries
and assaults.
Child abuse: Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of children.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define child
maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other
caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Most child abuse
occurs in a child's home, with a smaller amount occurring in the organizations, schools or
communities the child interacts with. There are four major categories of child abuse: neglect,
physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, and child sexual abuse. Children with a history
of neglect or physical abuse are at risk of developing psychiatric problems, or a disorganized
attachment style. Disorganized attachment is associated with a number of developmental
problems, including dissociative symptoms, as well as anxiety, depressive, and acting out
symptoms. Victims of childhood abuse, it is claimed, also suffer from different types of physical
health problems later in life. The effects of child abuse vary, depending on the type of abuse. A
2006 study found that childhood emotional and sexual abuse were strongly related to adult
depressive symptoms, while exposure to verbal abuse and witnessing of domestic violence had
a moderately strong association, and physical abuse a moderate one. For depression,
experiencing more than two kinds of abuse exerted synergetically stronger symptoms. Sexual
abuse was particularly deleterious in its intrafamilial form, for symptoms of depression, anxiety,
dissociation, and limbic irritability. Childhood verbal abuse had a stronger association with
anger-hostility than any other type of abuse studied, and was second only to emotional abuse
in its relationship with dissociative symptoms. Children who are physically abused are likely to
receive bone fractures, particularly rib fractures, and may have a higher risk of developing
cancer. Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a
juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent
crime. Child Abuse Statistics.
Child Abuse - Signs and Symptoms: Although these signs do not necessarily indicate that a child
has been abused, they may help adults recognise that something is wrong. The possibility of
abuse should be investigated if a child shows a number of these symptoms, or any of them to a
marked degree:
Sexual Abuse
 Being overly affectionate or knowledgeable in a sexual way inappropriate to the child's
age
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Medical problems such as chronic itching, pain in the genitals, venereal diseases
Other extreme reactions, such as depression, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, running
away, overdoses, anorexia
Personality changes such as becoming insecure or clinging
Regressing to younger behaviour patterns such as thumb sucking or bringing out
discarded cuddly toys
Sudden loss of appetite or compulsive eating
Being isolated or withdrawn
Inability to concentrate
Lack of trust or fear of someone they know well, such as not wanting to be alone with a
babysitter or child minder
Starting to wet again, day or night/nightmares
Become worried about clothing being removed
Suddenly drawing sexually explicit pictures
Trying to be 'ultra-good' or perfect; overreacting to criticism
Physical Abuse
 Unexplained recurrent injuries or burns
 Improbable excuses or refusal to explain injuries
 Wearing clothes to cover injuries, even in hot weather
 Refusal to undress for gym
 Bald patches
 Chronic running away
 Fear of medical help or examination
 Self-destructive tendencies
 Aggression towards others
 Fear of physical contact - shrinking back if touched
 Admitting that they are punished, but the punishment is excessive (such as a child being
beaten every night to 'make him study')
 Fear of suspected abuser being contacted
Emotional Abuse
 Physical, mental and emotional development lags
 Sudden speech disorders
 Continual self-depreciation ('I'm stupid, ugly, worthless, etc')
 Overreaction to mistakes
 Extreme fear of any new situation
 Inappropriate response to pain ('I deserve this')
 Neurotic behaviour (rocking, hair twisting, self-mutilation)
 Extremes of passivity or aggression
Neglect
 Constant hunger
 Poor personal hygiene
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Constant tiredness
Poor state of clothing
Emaciation
Untreated medical problems
No social relationships
Compulsive scavenging
Destructive tendencies
Note: A child may be subjected to a combination of different kinds of abuse.
It is also possible that a child may show no outward signs and hide what is happening from
everyone.
Suspected Abuse
If you suspect that a child is being abused, seek advice from the police or social services. It is
preferable that you identify yourself and give details. However, if you feel unsure and would
like to discuss the situation, ring the Helpline available in your area or the societies working for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. You can speak to these organizations (and the police and
social services) anonymously.
Knowing how damaging abuse is to children, it is up to the adults around them to take
responsibility for stopping it.
If a child tells you about abuse:
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Stay calm and be reassuring
Find a quiet place to talk
Believe in what you are being told
Listen, but do no press for information
Say that you are glad that the child told you
If it will help the child to cope. say that the abuser has a problem
Say that you will do your best to protect and support the child
If necessary, seek medical help and contact the police or social services
If your child has told another adult, such as a teacher or school nurse, contact them.
Their advice may make it easier to help your child
Determine if this incident may affect how your child reacts at school. It may be advisable
to liaise with you child's teacher, school nurse or head teacher
Acknowledge that your child may have angry, sad or even guilty feelings about what
happened, but stress that the abuse was not the child's fault. Acknowledge that you will
probably need help dealing with your own feelings
You may consider using the school as a resource, as the staff should have a network of agencies
they work with, and be able to give you advice. You can contact official agencies or self-help
groups. If you are concerned about what action may be taken, ask before you proceed.
Definitions of terms involving the sexual abuse of children:
Boy lovers: A term used by pedophiles who are attracted primarily to boys.
Ephebophila: Ephebophilia is the sexual preference of adults for mid-to-late adolescents,
generally ages 15 to 19. In sexual ethics, it may be defined as a sexual preference for girls
generally 14–16 years old, and boys generally 14–19 years old. Some authors define
ephebophilia as a sexual preference of pubescent and adolescent boys.
Girl lovers: A term used by pedophiles who are attracted primarily to girls.
Hebephilia: Hebephilia refers to the sexual preference for individuals in the early years of
puberty (generally ages 11–14, though puberty may vary). It differs from ephebophilia, which
refers to the sexual preference for individuals in later adolescence, and from pedophilia, which
refers to the sexual preference for prepubescent children.
Infantophilia: Infantophilia, or nepiophilia, is used to refer to a sexual preference for infants
and toddlers (usually ages 0–3).
Lolita syndrome: Synonym for ephebophilia.
Paraphilia: An umbrella term which includes many conditions in which an adult's sexual
arousing fantasies involve non-human objects, the infliction of pain, non-adults, or other nonconsenting persons or different sexual interests or sexual deviations. Paraphilia (in Greek para
παρά = beside or beyond and -philia φιλία = friendship or love for, having the meaning of love)
is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that
are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the
paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her. Some examples are: ephebophila,
exhibitionism, hebephilia, fetishism, frotteurism, pedophilia, sexual masochism, sexual sadism,
transvestite behavior, and voyeurism. The list of paraphilias is given above.
Pederasty: Pederasty or paederasty is a (usually erotic) relationship between an older man and
an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek
(paiderastia) "love of children" or "love of boys", a compound derived from παῖσ (pais) "child,
boy" and ἐραςτήσ (erastēs) "lover".
Pedophile: According to the American Psychiatric Association: "A person who over at least a 6
month period has recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors
involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children (age 13 years or younger). The
fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social,
occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The person is at least age 16 years and at
least 5 years older than the child or children. Not to include an individual in late adolescence
involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with a 12 or 13 year old (straight or gay). Individuals
with pedophilia generally report an attraction to children of a particular age range. Some
individuals prefer males, others prefer females, and some are aroused by both males and
females. Pedophilia involving female victims is reported more than pedophilia involving male
victims."
Pedophilia: A condition in which an adult or older youth, usually male, is sexually attracted
primarily to pre-pubertal children -- those aged 13 years or under. It is derived from two Greek
words: ''pedo" means "child;" and "philia" means "love for." As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia
(or paedophilia) is typically defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents
(persons age 16 and older) characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in
prepubescent children (generally age 13 years or younger, though onset of puberty may vary).
Phebophilia: Alternative term for Ephebophilia. Both words are derived from the Greek words
''phepius" means "youth;" and "philia" means "love for."
Notes: An unknown percentage of pedophiles act on their feelings. They molest children, and
become an abusive pedophile. Others do not abuse, and are not a threat to children.
Concerning ephebophiles, hebephiles, and pedophiles:
Some are of the exclusive type where the individual is sexually attracted only to young persons.
Others are of the non-exclusive type where there is also some attraction to other adults.
They may be sexually attracted to children of the same gender, the opposite gender, or to both
genders.
Most mental health specialists agree that there is no cure for these disorders. However an
ephebophile, hebephile, and pedophiles may be successfully treated so that they no longer act
out their feelings of attraction by abusing young people.
The meaning of the term "pedophile" is in transition. Many people use the term to refer to a
child rapist/molester. Law enforcement agencies often define it as including only those abusive
pedophiles who have been found guilty of abuse in court. Unfortunately, this leaves no term for
a person who feels sexual attraction to children, but does not act on their feelings.
Keep your child away from Pedophiles:
Pedophiles can be anyone - old or young, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, nonprofessional or professional, and of any race. However, pedophiles often demonstrate similar
characteristics, but these are merely indicators and it should not be assumed that individuals
with these characteristics are pedophiles. But knowledge of these characteristics coupled with
questionable behavior can be used as an alert that someone may be a pedophile.
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Popular with both children and adults.
Appears to be trustworthy and respectable. Has good standing in the community.
Prefers the company of children. Feels more comfortable with children than adults. Is
mainly attracted to prepubescent boys and girls. Can be heterosexual, homosexual, or
bisexual.
"Grooms" children with quality time, video games, parties, candy, toys, gifts, money.
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Singles out children who seem troubled and in need of attention or affection.
Often dates or marries women with children that are the age of his preferred victims.
Rarely forces or coerces a child into sexual contact. Usually through trust and friendship.
Physical contact is gradual, from touching, to picking up, to holding on lap, to kissing,
etc.
Derives gratification in a number of ways. For some, looking is enough. For others,
taking pictures or watching children undress is enough. Still others require more
contact.
Finds different ways and places to be alone with children.
Are primarily (but not always) male, masculine, better-educated, more religious than
average, and choose jobs allowing them greater access to children.
Are usually family men, have no criminal record, and deny that they abuse children,
even after caught, convicted, incarcerated, and court-ordered into a sex offender
program. The marriage is often troubled by sexual dysfunction, and serves as a
smokescreen for the pedophile's true preferences and practices.
Are often, but not always, themselves victims of some form of childhood sexual abuse.
Even if the pedophile has no children, his home is usually child-friendly, with toys,
books, video games, computers, bikes, swing sets, skateboards, rec room, pool, snacks things to attract children to his home and keep them coming back. Usually the items
reflect the preferred age of his victims.
A female pedophile usually abuses a child when partnered with an adult male
pedophile, and is often herself a victim of chronic sexual abuse.
A pedophile can act independently, or be involved in an organized ring, including the
Internet, NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association), and other propedophilia groups. Some pedophiles recognize that their behavior is criminal, immoral,
and unacceptable by society, and operate in secrecy. Some are quite open and militant
about their practices and advocate the normalization of pedophilia under the guise of
freedom of speech and press, and uses innocuous language like "intergenerational
intimacy."
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for
sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in
sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure of the genitals to a child,
displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual contact against a child, physical contact with
the child's genitals (except in certain non-sexual contexts such as a medical exam), viewing of
the child's genitalia without physical contact (except in nonsexual contexts such as a medical
exams), or using a child to produce child pornography.
The effects of child sexual abuse include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety,
propensity to further victimization in adulthood, and physical injury to the child, among other
problems. Sexual abuse by a family member is a form of incest, and can result in more serious
and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest.
In North America, for example, approximately 15% to 25% of women and 5% to 15% of men
were sexually abused when they were children. Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted
with their victims; approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often brothers, fathers,
uncles or cousins; around 60% are other acquaintances such as 'friends' of the family,
babysitters, or neighbors; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual
abuse cases. Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; studies show that women commit
14% to 40% of offenses reported against boys and 6% of offenses reported against girls. Most
offenders who sexually abuse prepubescent children are pedophiles, although some offenders
do not meet the clinical diagnosis standards for pedophilia.
Under the law, "child sexual abuse" is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in
which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of
sexual gratification. The American Psychiatric Association states that "children cannot consent
to sexual activity with adults", and condemns any such action by an adult: "An adult who
engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can
be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior.
Child sexual abuse: What parents should know
What is child sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or another child) in which
the child is used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or an observer. A central
characteristic of any abuse is domination of the child by the perpetrator through deception,
force, or coercion into sexual activity. Children, due to their age, cannot give meaningful
consent to sexual activity.
Child sexual abuse includes touching and nontouching behaviors:
 sexual kissing
 inappropriate touching or fondling of the child’s genitals, breasts, or buttocks
 masturbation
 oral-genital contact
 sexual or digital (with fingers) penetration
 pornography (forcing the child to view or use of the child in)
 child prostitution
 exposure or “flashing” of body parts to the child
 voyeurism (ogling of the child’s body)
 verbal pressure for sex
Who are the victims of child sexual abuse?
 Children of all ages, races, ethnicities, cultures, and economic backgrounds are
vulnerable to sexual abuse.
 Child sexual abuse occurs in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
 It affects both girls and boys in all kinds of neighborhoods and communities, and in
countries around the world.
Who are the perpetrators of child sexual abuse?
 Most children are abused by someone they know and trust.
 An estimated 60% of perpetrators of sexual abuse are known to the child but are not
family members, e.g., family friends, babysitters, childcare providers, neighbors.
 About 30% of perpetrators are family members, e.g., fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins.
 Just 10% of perpetrators are strangers to the child.
 In most cases, the perpetrator is male regardless of whether the victim is a boy or girl.
Heterosexual and gay men are equally likely to sexually abuse children. A perception
that most perpetrators are gay men is a myth and harmful stereotype.
 Some perpetrators are female -- It is estimated that women are the abusers in about
14% of cases reported among boys and 6% of cases reported among girls.
 Child pornographers and other abusers who are strangers may make contact with
children via the Internet.
 Not all perpetrators are adults - an estimated 23% of reported cases of child sexual
abuse are perpetrated by individuals under the age of 18.
 Other common characteristics of perpetrators include:
o a history of abuse (either physical or sexual)
o alcohol or drug abuse
o little satisfaction with sexual relationships with adults
o lack of control over their emotions
o mental illness in some cases
How prevalent is child sexual abuse?
 Some CDC research has estimated that approximately 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are
sexually abused before the age of 18.
 Other governmental research has estimated that approximately 300,000 children are
abused every year in the United States.
 However, accurate statistics on the prevalence of sexual abuse of children and
adolescents are difficult to collect because it is vastly underreported and there are
differing definitions of what constitutes sexual abuse.
 Boys (and later, men) tend not to report their victimization, which may affect statistics.
Some men even feel societal pressure to be proud of early sexual activity regardless of
whether it was unwanted.
 Boys are more likely than girls to be abused outside of the family.
 Most mental health and child protection professionals agree that child sexual abuse is
not uncommon and is a serious problem in the United States.
What are the risk and protective factors?
Research is still evolving around what risk factors presage child sexual abuse due to the
difficulty involved in getting data.
However, some general characteristics have been identified:
Age
 Older children tend to be at greater risk for sexual abuse
 0-3 y/o: 10% of victims
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4-7 y/o: 28.4% of victims
8-11 y/o: 25% of victims
12 and older: 35.9% of victims
Gender
 Girls tend to be at greater risk of sexual victimization than boys.
 However, boys are more likely to be victimized by a perpetrator outside the family than
girls.
Disability
 Children with disabilities are at elevated risk of abuse, particularly, if the disability
impairs their perceived credibility, e.g., blindness, deafness, and mental retardation.
Prior history of victimization
 Those with a prior history of sexual victimization are extremely likely to be revictimized.
Some research estimates an increased risk of over 1000%.
Family characteristics
 Absence of one or both parents is a risk factor
-- Some research found that children living with only one biological parent at twice the
risk of sexual victimization.
-- Children living without both biological parents were at three times the risk of sexual
victimization.
 Older children from father-only families were also at increased risk of sexual
victimization compared to other children.
 Presence of a stepfather in the home doubled the risk of sexual victimization for girls.
Parental characteristics associated with increased risk
 Researchers have found that parents with a history of childhood sexual victimization are
at an estimated risk 10 times greater for having a sexually abused child
 Multiple caretakers for the child
 Caretaker or parent who has multiple sexual partners
 Drug and/or alcohol abuse
 Stress associated with poverty
 Social isolation and family secrecy
 Child with poor self-esteem or other vulnerable state
 History of abuse among other family members (e.g., siblings, cousins)
 Unsatisfactory marriage or intimate partner violence for the mother
 Parents leaving child at home alone without adequate supervision
What are the effects of sexual abuse?
 Not all sexually abused children exhibit symptoms (some estimate up to 40% of children
are asymptomatic) however others experience serious and long-standing consequences.
 Child sexual abuse can result in both short-term and long-term harm, including mental
health problems that extend into adulthood.
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Sexual abuse can affect psychological, emotional, physical, and social domains of the
child’s life, including increased risk for
o Depression
o Guilt
o Fear
o Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
o Dissociative and anxiety disorders
o Eating disorders
o Poor self-esteem
o Somatization, i.e., the expression of distress in physical symptoms
o Chronic pain
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Behavioral problems can include
o Sexualized behavior – which brings elevated risk for pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections
o School/learning problems
o Substance abuse
o Destructive behavior
o Sexual dysfunction in adulthood
o Criminality in adulthood
o Suicide
For our purposes, the term “child” includes adolescents below the age of consent.
Recognizing the Problem
What are the warning signs of sexual abuse?
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child exhibits:
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An increase in nightmares and/or other sleeping difficulties
Angry outbursts
Anxiety
Depression
Difficulty walking or sitting
Withdrawn behavior
Pregnancy or contraction of a venereal disease, particularly if under age 14
Propensity to run away
Refusal to change for gym or to participate in physical activities
Regressive behaviors depending on their age (e.g., return to thumb-sucking or bedwetting)
 Reluctance to be left alone with a particular person or people
 Sexual knowledge, language, and/or behaviors that are unusual and inappropriate for
their age
Take it very seriously when a child reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult caregiver.
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the parent or other adult caregiver:
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Is unduly protective of the child or severely limits the child's contact with other children,
especially those of the opposite sex
Is secretive and isolated
Describes marital difficulties involving sexual relations or family power struggles.
Prevention
What steps can parents/caregivers take to prevent and minimize risk for sexual abuse?
Teach your children
 Basic sexual education - a health professional can provide basic sexual education to your
children if you feel uncomfortable doing so.
 That sexual advances from adults are wrong.
 To communicate openly - they should feel free to ask questions and talk about their
experiences. Make it clear that they should feel free to report abuse to you or any other
trusted adult. If you’re concerned about possible sexual abuse, ask questions.
 The difference between good secrets (those that are not kept secret for long) and bad
secrets (those that must stay secret forever).
 The difference between “okay” and “not okay” touches.
 Accurate names for their private parts and how to take care of them (i.e., bathing,
wiping after bathroom use) so they don’t have to rely on adults or older children for
help.
 That adults and older children never need help with their own private parts.
 That they can make decisions about their own bodies and say “no” when they do not
want to be touched or do not want to touch others (even refusing to give hugs).
Make sure that you know your child’s friends and their families. If you feel uneasy about leaving
your child with someone, don’t do it.
What should parents/caregivers do if they suspect abuse?
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Give the child a safe environment in which to talk to you or another trusted adult.
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Encourage the child to talk about the abuse, but be careful to not suggest events that
may not have occurred.
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Guard against displaying emotions that would influence the child's telling of the
information. Listen, stay calm, and remain supportive of the child with words and
gestures.
Reassure the child that he or she did nothing wrong.
Seek assistance for the child from a psychologist or other licensed mental health
provider.
Arrange for a medical examination for the child. Select a medical provider who has
experience in examining children and identifying sexual and physical trauma. It may be
necessary to explain to the child the difference between a medical examination and the
abuse incident.
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Many states require that individuals who know or suspect that a child has been sexually
abused must report the abuse to local law enforcement or child protection officials.
In all 50 states, medical personnel, mental health professionals, teachers, and law
enforcement personnel are required by law to report suspected abuse.
Ask for help - There are a number of organizations focused on providing assistance to
families dealing with child abuse
o American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
(312) 554-0166
o NationalCenter for Missing and Exploited Children
24 hour hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST
o Child Help USA
(1-800) 4-A-CHILD
o Prevent Child Abuse America
(1-800) CHILDREN
o Child Welfare Information Gateway (formerly National Clearinghouse on Child
Abuse and Neglect Information)
(1-800) 394-3366
Treatment
What treatments are available for children and adolescents who have been sexually abused?
 There are a number of empirically validated treatments for children who have been
sexually abused
o Individual therapy
o Family therapy
o Group therapy
o Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
o Child-centered therapy
 There is no “one size fits all” treatment for sexual abuse. Therapists may take a range of
approaches to treatment depending on the individual characteristics of the child and
the length of treatment.
 Recovery is possible - children can be very resilient and with a combination of effective
treatment and support from parents/caregivers, they do recover from abuse.
For more information on treatment of child sexual abuse, please visit the National Child
Traumatic Stress Network.
Important Messages about Children's and Adolescents' Mental Health:
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Every child's mental health is important.
Many children have mental health problems.
These problems are real and painful and can be severe.
Mental health problems can be recognized and treated.
Caring families and communities working together can help.
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Many Children having CD showing persistent conduct disorder and then develop adult
antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) so ends up with criminals.
Checking and diagnosing mental health is necessary for a better and good society and
healthy mental human culture.
General Awareness Campaign against social evils and crimes: There is no copyright for this
material, it can be translated, photocopied, republished, reprinted, sold or distributed freely
without any prior permission.
Binod Narayan Sethi, INDIA.
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