No blame when children scratches

Children scrape, parents should not respond with allegations or penalties

04.10.2012

Some children scratch during puberty to relieve emotional tensions. If the children themselves are hurt, parents should not react with allegations, threats or even punishments. According to the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DGKJP) children could continue to come under pressure and the situation could be aggravated. It is better to seek therapeutic support.

Teenagers and children call this self-injurious behavior, for example „scratch“. These arms or legs are usually injured with a sharp object. If a mother or father mentions the self-injurious behavior of their child, a recognized counseling center should be consulted first before talking to the child about it. Therapists teach the parents how best to have a conversation with the child. Most importantly, parents signal that they take the child's concerns seriously and want to help. This explained Prof. Jörg Fegert, Director of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DGKJP).

Cracking often accompanies a mental disorder
Self-injurious behavior is usually triggered by a mental disorder or is associated with illnesses such as depression, borderline or eating disorders. The children feel a high emotional pressure. By self-injury they want to end the inner pressure and unpleasant feelings.

„If children are ready to talk, parents should encourage them to seek therapeutic help“, so the child and adolescent psychiatrist Fegert. In the course of a therapy, the causes of the self-injury are searched for. During treatment, the children learn instead of using destructive, constructive coping strategies. (Sb)

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