THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For those parents who subject children to corporal punishment when they show irritable behaviour when they are ill, doctors have a piece of advice.
According to them, anger and stubbornness shown by children are symptoms of ‘illness behaviour’. During such times, parents should exercise self-restraint instead of acting emotionally.
They also point out that parents should remain watchful of the symptoms and change in the behavioural pattern of children as these could be indicators of the need to seek further medical help.
According to Dr R Jayaprakash, chief of Behavioural Paediatrics Unit, Department of Child Health, SAT Hospital, the parent-child interactions that occur in the context of child illness are an under-rated topic.
“Parents should have an understanding of illness behaviour among children. Ignorance of the same often results in yelling, threatening, physical punishment and others,” he said.
According to him, while the illness itself causes behavioural change among children, medications taken also have a role to play in it.
“A child who is affected by an illness might show irritation. Sometimes it might be in the form of anger, stubbornness or hyperactivity. Losing one’s control at such times is not the key. If the parents are unfamiliar about this illness behaviour, the paediatrician concerned should make them aware of the same,” said Jayaprakash.