title: Pediatric sexuality: promoting normal sexual development in children.
abstract: Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s there has been an openness regarding sexual exploration that has resulted in an increase of sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies. Clinicians can mitigate the unhealthy results of such exploration through a therapeutic relationship with their patients. This article provides practical ways to approach and educate the pediatric patient and parent regarding normal sexual growth and development and the promotion of healthy, responsible sexual behavior. Using developmental theories as a foundation, sexuality is examined from birth through the adolescent years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008149:Love; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011582:Psychological Theory; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D012736:Sex Education; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control