|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 4 May 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Magazine |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
by Umangi de Mel Children are sweet, their world is where angels dwell...Happy-go-lucky, bubbly and tender, little children are the hopes of a better tomorrow. In an almost unexpected situation, these kids can turn out to be victims of things that could have a severe impact on them destroying their lives. Concerned about those care-free young lives? Then read on. "Conduct Disorder is a chronic pattern of behaviour in children and adolescents which is socially unacceptable," says Ranil Abeysinghe, Consultant Psychiatrist, University of Peradeniya. Explaining further, he says that it's a kind of behaviour that is usually shown at school, at home and social situations. Commonly seen in boys, it hinders a child's performance at home, at school and in social conditions. "Boys could be more vulnerable to behavioural problems than girls, in any culture," says Dr. Abeysinghe. The symptoms may include constant lying, truancy, stealing, frequent violence, boycotting school, physical cruelty to animals and humans or running away from home. According to our shrink, children stand a chance of developing conduct disorder at a very small age. "The affected children start being hyperactive, having frequent temper tantrums and early academic problems," he reveals. It's only a smaller percentage who start showing these changes fairly early as a majority develop it in the early teens which always results in substance abuse, stubborn behaviour, physical injury and school problems. Causes * Family background - Parents who have anti-social personalities are more likely to produce children who will inherit the qualities. "But ironically, most of these children who are prone to behavioural problems don't have parents with unlawful backgrounds," he says. * A chemical imbalance by birth is a major cause. These children are born with certain defect which make them behave aggressively. Dr. Abeysinghe says that parents should be more alert if their two year old is hyperactive and throwing uncontrollable temper tantrums. Children who exhibit early symptoms are at greater stake for chronic complications. And they are more likely to have problems with siblings and peers. "If you catch them early, it's easy to help them. Because 40 per cent of these children grow up to be adults with serious personality disorders and eventually turn out to be criminals," he points out. "Conduct Disorder is successfully defeated in the west. They have discovered that children and adolescents with the disorder don't grow up to be criminals or have behavioural problems. In fact they do well as adults," he says adding that when they talk about prevention of crime, they are more concerned about rehabilitating children with conduct disorders which automatically prevents future crimes. Adults should be more attentive and cautious enough to find out the reasons behind their kid's abnormal behaviour. "Once a child reaches 12/13, it's difficult to cure him," he says. Nevertheless, he says some of the children can be cured through medication. "For many, you've got to work with parents. It's called `Parent training' in which the parents are taught how to deal with the children." Most of these children are labelled as `bad'. And they do tend to live up to those labels. "We should try to get those labels off and get the family and teachers to see them as children with problems. Actually what happens is these children are ignored in the early stages. There are parents who don't believe in disciplining in their kids," he continues. He says that parents who love unconditionally tend to close their eyes to certain things children do which are considered anti-social behaviour. consequences of their behaviour. Because love and discipline are like the railway track, they go together," he says. Physical punishment or verbal abuse makes things worse, "When these children are physically punished, they tend to think that the way to control other people is through aggression," he says it's better to create awareness and adds that the law that sends people to the electric chair, doesn't see that the roots of crimes in society lies in children. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
