A Child’s Temperament • 01.05.10
According to research done by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Caring for your School-Age Child: ages 5 – 12) temperament, for the most part, is an innate quality of the child, consistent into adulthood. According to studies by Thomas and Chase there are, at least, nine major characteristics that make up temperament. Do you recognize your child’s temperament?
- Activity level-The amount of physical motion in your child’s behavior (e.g. during sleep, eating, play, dressing, bathing, etc). i.e. running to get where he/she wants to go.
- Adaptability-the degree of ease or difficulty your child adjusts to change or a new situation. .
- Approach or Withdrawal: the way your child initially responds to new situations-people, events, places, toys, foods, etc. i.e. rapid and bold (outgoing) or slow and hesitant(shy).
- Distractibility: the level of distress your child experiences when asked to work for long periods or beyond his/her capabilities.
- Threshold of Responsiveness-the amount of stimulation (e.g. sounds, light, taste, smell or feel) required to evoke an inexplicable response
- Intensity of Reaction: the energy level with which your child responds to a situation (whether negative or positive)-
- Quality of Mood-The extent of positive or negative emotion (mood) in various situations
- Attention Span/ Persistence-the length of time during which your child pursues a particular activity (attention span) and the ability to continue the activity in the face of distractions (persistence).
- Regularity (rhythmicity)-The regularity of physiologic functions (sleep, hunger and elimination). i.e. Your child spontaneously wakes up at the usual time on weekends and holidays.
These innate characteristics have little to do with your own parenting skills but by being aware of them, you can better understand and appreciate your child’s uniqueness and deal with problems of poor ‘fit’ that may lead to misunderstandings and conflicts at home, at school or at play. The behavioral adjustment of a school-age child depends a lot on the interaction between his/her temperament and yours. www.healthychildren.org
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