Concurrent habits: what would Linus do with his blanket if his thumb-sucking were treated?

Article Abstract:

Both attachment to an object and thumb-sucking are common in young children. These behaviors appear to ease the child's transition between dissimilar conditions, such as sleeping and waking. Object attachment is usually harmless behavior, but thumb-sucking can cause complications if it is continued into later childhood. Treatment for thumb-sucking is controversial. It has been suggested that treatment of thumb-sucking can cause other behavior to be substituted, can worsen the condition, or simply does not work. Recent studies of children who suck their thumbs suggest that if a supportive rather than punitive approach is used, treatment is often successful. Many thumb-sucking children (32 to 55 percent) have concurrent habits, such as attachment to a blanket or toy. It would be helpful to know if these children need different treatment, and if treatment of thumb-sucking increases other habits. A study was undertaken of eight thumb-sucking children aged over five years who also had a strong attachment to a particular object (blanket, satin cloth, fuzzy toy, their own hair). The primary observer of behavior was the child's mother. Children were treated for thumb-sucking using a combination of taste treatment and a motivational system. Treatment successfully eliminated thumb-sucking behavior in all eight children. It was observed that seven of the eight children also lost interest in their attachment object. It is concluded that when Linus (the "Peanuts" cartoon character) is older than five years and is successfully treated for his thumb-sucking, he will also lose much of his interest in his blanket. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Child development, Thumb sucking, Transitional objects (Psychology), Security objects (Psychology)

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Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have clinically significant behavior problems?

Article Abstract:

Children who have primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) do not appear to have significant behavior problems. Enuresis is the medical term for bed-wetting. Researchers used the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) to identify behavior problems in 92 children with PNE and 184 children without this condition. The ECBI asks parents to say whether their child exhibits 36 common problem behaviors. The children with PNE were no more likely than the other children to have significant behavior problems, although boys were more likely to have behavior problems than girls.

Diagnosis, Behavior disorders in children, Childhood mental disorders, Enuresis, Bedwetting

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The Bedtime Pass

Article Abstract:

The use of a pass may be helpful in overcoming a common child behavior problem -- resistance to bedtime. In a test, two boys, a three-year-old and a 10-year-old, who had extreme bedtime difficulties were each given a 5x7 card with his name on it. They were told they could use the card for one visit out of the bedroom for a specific purpose such as a hugh, a drink of water, a bathroom visit and without penalty. The visits were to be brief. Each child was given one pass per night. This device eliminated problematic behavior completely.

Behavior, Children, Child behavior

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