In recent years, reports of precocious puberty in children have emerged one after another. Fast-growing chickens, ripening fruits and vegetables, soya-bean milk and bean products and other foods are probably the most commonly heard. (These foods do not cause precocious puberty, please see here to refute the rumor.)
There is even a more [sensational] statement-children sleeping with their parents for a long time can easily lead to precocious puberty.
Although children should gradually learn to sleep alone as they grow older, Ding Ma really can’t agree with such reasons as [causing precocious puberty] to frighten people.
Therefore, Ding Ma specially invited doctors from the Endocrinology Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital to talk about the matter.
Who is to blame for [precocious puberty]?
Precocious puberty is generally divided into true precocious puberty and pseudo precocious puberty.
True precocious puberty may be caused by intracranial infection, trauma or tumor.
Pseudoprecocious puberty may be caused by tumors in ovaries or testis, or some diseases of adrenal gland, which stimulate the body to secrete sex hormones, thus leading to early development.
In addition, if the child is overnourished for a long time and eats drugs containing sex hormones (such as contraceptives) by mistake, contact with chemicals that will cause precocious puberty may also lead to precocious puberty.
In some cases, children are exposed to content beyond their psychological age too early, such as some inappropriate language and pictures, which may also affect children’s sexual germination and awakening of sexual consciousness, and may even lead to children’s precocious puberty.
There are also some precocious puberty for which no reason can be found, which is called idiopathic precocious puberty.
Among all these possible causes of precocious puberty, there is no what with parents.
Should children sleep with their parents?
Although parents’ sleep with them will not lead to precocious puberty, it is still not recommended that parents share the same bed with their children.
1. Sleeping together is more dangerous for small babies.
Many people think that sleeping in the same bed with the mother is not only more convenient for nursing, but also can enhance the close connection between mother and child. However, for small babies, sleeping in the same bed with their parents will increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Therefore, the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics is that babies and their parents share the same room but have different beds. The babies’ beds can be placed closer to their parents and can be seen and touched by each other.
This can not only avoid the risks brought to the baby by the same bed to the greatest extent, but also ensure the close contact between parents and the baby.
2. For big babies, it is better to sleep in separate rooms.
As the baby grows up gradually, both the child and the parents need their own independent space to sleep, and the delay in sleeping in separate rooms is not only not conducive to the child’s habit of independent sleep, but also will have a certain impact on the relationship between husband and wife.
For babies, generally around the age of 3, they will gradually notice the gender differences between men and women and realize that their body structure is different from that of their father (or mother). If they continue to sleep with their parents, it may affect the development of children’s sexual cognition.
For both husband and wife, if they continue to sleep in one room even though the baby is already relatively old, it will not only directly affect the life of husband and wife, but also affect the relationship between husband and wife and even lead to conflicts.
How to help the baby sleep alone?
If the baby is used to sleeping with his parents and suddenly lets the baby sleep alone, it is inevitable that he will resist. Parents can slowly achieve the goal of letting the baby sleep alone step by step.
1. Let the baby adapt to separate beds first,
If the baby always slept in the same bed with his parents when he was a child, he can start the transition from separate beds before letting the baby sleep alone.
Next to the parents’ bed, prepare a comfortable bed for the child, and then gradually separate the distance to prepare for separate sleep.
2. Communicate well with children
Before formally dividing rooms to sleep, parents can convey the view that “older children should sleep by themselves” to their children through small stories, picture books, etc.
At the beginning of sleeping in separate rooms, some children may be afraid or not used to it. Parents can accompany him for a while before falling asleep, tell stories and so on, and then leave after the children fall asleep.
Step 3 Be firm
Although it has been agreed with the children to sleep in separate rooms, it is still possible that the children will suddenly sleep with their parents again, and they may even run to their parents’ bed in the middle of the night and stay there.
In this case, parents should not be too soft-hearted and compromise with their children easily. Instead, they should gently and firmly show their children that parents want to sleep by themselves, and the baby should also sleep by himself. They should not let all previous efforts go to waste.
No matter for the safety of the baby, or for the growth of the baby and the relationship between the husband and wife of the baby’s parents, sleeping in the same bed is not a good choice, but it is not [will lead to precocious puberty of the child]! Turn it off! Department!
With real reasons, give corresponding suggestions, not boasting, not threatening, is the real reliable advice.