Children’s Behavior Improves When Doctors Teaches Parenting Skills During Pediatric Visits: Study Finds

Researchers found out that poverty influences the child's brain development; therefore, they decided to work with parents, who have a low income, every time they bring their babies and children to the pediatrician. 

Previous researchers found out that children below the poverty line are nearly one and a half times more likely to have delays in their development or may suffer from learning disabilities. They also have an increased time of absenteeism or they tend to leave school because they have to work and generate an income or take care of their family members as shared by the Rantoul Press.

Researchers from New York University, Alan Mendelsohn and Adriana Weisleder, were said to discover the key to lower hyperactivity and the struggle to pay attention can be intervened through working with the parents of the children.

According to the research published in the journal of American Academy of Pediatrics, mothers were recruited together with their newborns. The participants were divided into three groups: the first group only received basic coaching on how to teach their kids to read; the second group was given take home books, pamphlets and toys; and the third group worked with trained child development professionals for 30 minutes every time they would come for a consultation.

The professionals filmed the mother and child interaction for a few minutes then had a session with the mother soon after the interaction. They talk about the positive things she did and gave the video to the mother before going home.  

After three years, the third group with the video interaction has a 50-percent decrease on hyperactivity and inattention risks. They concluded that regulation of behavior and cooperation can help the children learn and become better students in the future.

Furthermore, the findings do not just apply to families with low income. Mendelsohn suggested to the families who have kids with behavioral problems, to think not about discipline but rather the positive steps they can design and adopt to develop their child's attitude, as posted on WUTC.