Stop talking children sick
A topic that is very close to my heart - and is not a purely medical issue, but rather a social one: how do we deal with children who have characteristics that are not quite within the so-called "normality"? And what is "normality" anyway?
After 15 years as a doctor in private practice, I - and many other paediatricians - have noticed a trend that we don't like. As a society, we are increasingly quick to categorise things as pathological and in need of treatment. A striking example: children whose behaviour was still within the bounds of "normal" 40 years ago would no longer be so today. Because this framework is becoming ever narrower. And people are quicker and quicker to diagnose a social behaviour disorder, or ADHD, or autism or depressive traits ...
In my opinion, you have to be extremely careful not to overshoot the mark. Above all, it's very important to always look: How is this child doing? Is he or she doing well? Are they happy with themselves? Instead of looking at the child, people often just ask: Are we parents/teachers/educators stressed?
There is also a wonderful book on this topic by my paediatrician colleague Michael Hauch entitled "Childhood is not an illness". It deals with this topic very well.
There is one mistake we should not make: To tolerate behaviour less and less, to have more and more of a tendency towards the "middle of normality" and to ostracise and talk ill of children who are not actually ill.
Further interesting tips
Crawling
This will not be an excursion into the realm of insects, crawling is at least as big an issue for parents of small children. Two questions always take centre stage: When should a child crawl? And does a child have to crawl at all?
Foreskin inflammation
Once again an "unfair" topic, because it only affects boys. It's about balanitis or foreskin inflammation, a common condition in young boys and one that often makes parents extremely anxious. It is also often wrongly regarded as an emergency, although it is not usually such a dramatic story.
Hair problems
Everyone wants to have beautiful hair. And the topic is by no means just one for the hairdressing salon - but also for the paediatrician's practice. There are various hair problems in children and adolescents. A quick run-through: