Healthy Sexual Development in Children
And When Sexual Behaviors Become Problematic
Healthy sexual development and problematic sexual behaviors in children can be a sensitive topic to discuss and tough to understand. The reality is, however, that your child’s sexual awareness starts early and continues to evolve as they grow. There are many categories of childhood development including cognitive, language, motor, social, emotional—sexual is simply another form of development.
It is helpful to first learn about healthy sexual development across the various ages and stages. This foundation of knowledge can be helpful in determining whether sexual behaviors are typical or a cause for concern.
Related Resources
Please note the content of these resources is meant to provide information and is not representative of any official position of the Children’s Advocacy Center. We want to empower parents to get informed and then decide how to best pass information along to their children in a way that aligns with their family values and beliefs.
Problematic Sexual Behavior Screenings
Our Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) screenings are available for kids ages 3-9 and explore what behaviors are occurring, identify their origin, and classify them as developmentally appropriate or problematic. Caregivers are empowered with information on how to support their child in reducing or eliminating the behaviors. Kids are provided with a body safety check-in. If more intensive intervention is needed, the CAC also offers specialized counseling for children displaying problematic sexual behaviors.
If your child is exhibiting sexual behaviors, it does not always mean they have been sexually abused. There are a variety of reasons these behaviors may be exhibited and we are available to help you and your child gain insight into the source. We are here to help you navigate questions and concerns around any sexualized behaviors your child is displaying.