A Changing Reliance
In infancy, reliance on caregivers is paramount during stressful circumstances. In pre-school years, self awareness and consciousness emerge, feelings toward different people become clearer and reliant on experience.
Throughout the next few years, children learn to problem solve according to situation. Their understanding of norms in behaviour grows, along with ways to utilise them in relationships, including distancing strategies.
As adolescence approaches, a young person’s depth of control in stressful circumstances increases, an ability to consider solutions and strategies. They can offer genuine emotional expression, or managed displays.
Towards the end of childhood, greater awareness of emotion occurs and contradictions, such as guilt about feeling angry. Character and personal philosophy develop, a unique approach to the world, including how to deal with stress.
A worrying situation can be deflected with controlled self presentation, essentially impression management. Growing awareness of mutual communication and emotion can present confusing signals, even unintentionally.
Seeing The Reality
The path described above is a journey to emotional competence we all take. Influenced by social experience, relationships and unique factors in each child.
As in adulthood, children may be polite when not really wishing to be, or appear to dismiss an issue which is of concern. These strategies can have a sound rationale but in a medical context, they need to be overcome.
For children, seeing the truth of their perception is vital and should be part of a doctor’s skills, along with offering good care instinctively.
Relating To Medical Staff
If a caregiver naturally meets a child’s needs, they see the situation they are in as safe, trustworthy. If medical staff are less predictable, unresponsive, or perceived as hostile, insecurity will follow.
At different ages and as individuals, children have varying emotional strengths. A doctor must understand them and maintain a supportive link, appreciate the elements of their care which create a protective feel.
As welcome as kindness is, this is also about promoting positive outcomes, now and in the long term. How an adult views medical care, their health and solutions to related problems are often founded in childhood.
In depth training in paediatric maxillofacial care can help, although careful staff selection matters as much. Critical moments deserve people dedicated to supporting children, childhood is for life.
