The following material contains explicit/graphic references to sexual behaviors. The material is presented here to help concerned individuals and caregivers identify adverse behaviors in the sexual development of children (Kdg.-4).
If you have specific questions, or are concerned about the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of any behaviors, please contact a specialist trained in child sexual abuse assessment/treatment.
| Normal Range | Of Concern | Seek Professional Help |
|---|---|---|
| Asks about the genitals, breasts, intercourse, babies. | Shows fear or anxiety about sexual topics. | Asks endless questions about sex. Sexual knowledge too great for age. |
| Interested in watching/peeking at people doing bathroom functions. | Keeps getting caught watching/peeking at others doing bathroom functions. | Refuses to leave people alone in bathroom. |
| Uses “dirty” words for bathroom functions, genitals, and sex. | Continues to use “dirty” words with adults after parent says “no” and punishes. | Continues use of “dirty” words even after exclusion from school and activities. |
| Plays doctor, inspecting other’s bodies. | Frequently plays doctor and gets caught after being told “no.” | Forces other children to play doctor, to take off clothes. |
| Boys and girls are interested in having/birthing a baby. | Boy keeps making believe he is having baby after month/s. | Displays fear or anger about babies or intercourse. |
| Shows others his/her genitals. | Wants to be nude in public after parent says “no” and punishes child. | Refuses to put on clothes. Exposes self in public after many scoldings. |
| Interested in urination and defecation. | Plays with feces. Purposely urinates on floor. | Repeatedly plays or smears feces. Urinates on furniture on purpose. |
| Touches/rubs own genitals when going to sleep, when tense, excited or afraid. | Continues to touch/rub genitals in public after being told “no.” Masturbates on furniture or with objects. | Touches/rubs self in public or private to the exclusion of normal childhood activities. Masturbates on people. |
| Plays house, may simulate all roles of mommy and daddy. | Humps other children with clothes on. Imitates sexual behavior with dolls/stuffed toy. | Humps naked. Intercourse with another child. Forces sex on other child. |
| Thinks other children are “gross” or have “cooties.” Chases them. | Uses “dirty” language when other children really complain. | Uses bad language against other child’s family. Hurts other gender children. |
| Talks about sex with friends. Talks about having a girl/boyfriend. | Sex talk gets child in trouble. Gets upset with public displays of affection. | Talks about sex and sexual acts a lot. Repeatedly in trouble in regard to sexual behavior. |
| Wants privacy when in bathroom or changing clothes. | Becomes very upset when seen changing clothes. | Aggressive or tearful in demand for privacy. |
| Likes to hear and tell “dirty” jokes. | Keeps getting caught telling “dirty” jokes. Makes sexual sounds, e.g. moans. | Still tells “dirty” jokes, even after exclusion from school and other activities. |
| Looks at nude pictures. | Continuous fascination with nude pictures. | Wants to masturbate to nude pictures or display them. |
| Plays games with same-aged children related to sex or sexuality. | Wants to play games with much younger children related to sex and sexuality. | Forces others to play games related to sex and sexuality. Group forces children to play. |
| Draws genitals on human figures. | Draws genitals on one figure and not another. Genitals in disproportionate size to body. | Draws genitals as most prominent feature. Draws pictures of intercourse, group sex. |
| Explores differences between males and females, boys and girls. | Confused about male/female differences after all questions have been answered. | Plays male or female roles in a sad, angry, or aggressive manner. Hates own/other sex. |
| Takes advantage or opportunity to look at nude child or adult. | Stares/sneaks to stare at nude persons even after having seen many persons nude. | Asks people to take off their clothes. Tries to forcibly undress people. |
| Pretends to be opposite sex. | Wants to be opposite sex. | Hates being own sex. Hates own genitals. |
| Wants to compare genitals with peer-aged friends. | Wants to compare genitals with much older or much younger children or adults. | Demands to see the genitals, breasts, buttocks or children or adults. |
| Wants to touch genitals, breasts, buttocks of other same-age child or have child touch him/her. | Continuously wants to touch genitals, breasts, buttocks of other child/ren. Tries to engage in oral, anal, vaginal sex. | Manipulates or forces other child to allow touching of genitals, breasts, buttocks. Forces or mutual oral, anal, or vaginal sex. |
| Kisses familiar adults and children. Allows kissing by familiar adults and children. | French kisses. Talks in sexualized manner with others. Fearful of hugs and kisses by adults. Gets upset with public display of affection. | Is overly familiar with strangers. Talks in a sexualized manner with unknown adults. |
| Looks at the genitals, buttocks, breasts of adults. | Touches/stares at the genitals, breasts, buttocks of adults. Asks adults to touch him/her on genitals. | Sneakily or forcibly touches genitals, breasts, buttocks of adults. Tries to manipulate adults into touching him/her. |
| Has erections. | Continuous erections. | Painful erections. |
| Puts something in own genitals/rectum. | Puts something in own genitals/rectum when it feels uncomfortable. Puts something in the genitals/rectum of other children. | Uses any coercion or force in putting something in genitals/rectum of other child. Anal, vaginal, intercourse. Causes harm to own genitals/rectum. |
| Interested in breeding behavior of animals. | Touches genitals of animals. | Engages in sexual behaviors with animals. |