June Week 3: Behavioral Issues

Articles:

Cases/Questions:

Case 1:

A mom brings her 12 month old in for a well child check. Her parents are from India and her mother (baby’s grandmother) has been insisting that the child should be potty trained by now. The mom asks for your advice.

At what age should she start potty training the baby? How should she start?

What is the best method of potty training? Does it matter if the child is a girl or a boy?

What skills does a child need in order to be successful at potty training?

What should the mother do if the child refuses to use the potty, is scared of the potty, or starts withholding stool or urine intentionally?

Case 2:

A family comes to you with their 3 year old son for a well child check. He has just had a new sibling born within the past few months, and the parents are having a lot of trouble with him now. He has started acting out a lot, throwing temper tantrums, crying for any little thing that upsets him, and even hitting the parents. They are scared to leave him and the new baby unattended for even a second, as his behavior has gotten more aggressive in the past month and they are worried he might do something to hurt the baby.

How should the parents handle this actue change in behavior?

How should they handle the temper tantrums and hitting? What is the most effective “punishment” for these acting out behaviors?

How should they have approached the situation of having a new baby in the first place? Could they have prevented some of these behavior changes?