History Of Child Psychiatry

How soon can a child go mad?” asked Henry Maudsley in his 1895 textbook The Pathology of Mind, “Obviously not before it has got some mind to go wrong, and then only in proportion to the quantity and quality of mind which it has”, alluding to the widespread belief, even at the end of the 19th century, that children’s minds were not developed and stable enough to be able to show much psychopathology.

The history of child psychiatry—a term that can mean a collection of services, a body of knowledge, and a profession is inextricably linked to the history of childhood; recognising childhood as a distinct period of development is a prerequisite to acknowledging child psychiatry as a discipline (a full chapter, J.9, is dedicated to the history of childhood in this book). Thus, the history of child psychiatry is interlocked with our understanding of development, child-rearing practices, the place of children in society, and with non-medical fields such as juvenile justice and education. For example, some...

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Coaching Forgiveness To The Grudge-holding Child

A parent writes: Our nine year old is forever holding grudges against friends and family. How can we coach him to be more forgiving?

One of the many challenges that confront children is inevitably woven into peer and family relationships: forgiving those who have done wrong. Mistakes and disappointments committed by others find their way into every child's life, giving way to various emotions and behaviors. Some children firmly hold on to blaming indignation as if to punish the person who is at fault. This can go too far and ripple through other relationships, spreading negativity and leaving the offended child appearing petulant and unreasonable.

If your child finds forgiveness hard to come by, consider these coaching tips to help change your grudge-holder into a forgiver:

If your child is to listen with an open mind, start the discussion when your child is not holding a grudge....

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