Common Educational Practices Can Cause Childhood Trauma

"Riding in the back of motor vehicles such as sedans, station wagons, and trucks without seat belts or other restraints turned out to be associated with increased fatalities. Playing sports that could cause concussions without sufficient protection for the head led to injuries that caused chronic brain pathology. Corporal punishment as a form of discipline was found to be associated with increased child aggression, depression, anxiety, and lower self-esteem."

"Most of these drowning incidents occur in swimming pools. In addition to installing barriers to prevent unanticipated access to water, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that toddlers be taught basic swim skills, use life-jackets, and always be supervised in bodies of water by a non-distracted adult (e.g., because of looking at their cell phone, speaking to another adult, or reading; Denny et al., 2019)."

Many historically accepted Western child-rearing practices later proved hazardous. Examples include riding unrestrained in vehicle rears increasing fatalities, contact sports causing concussions leading to chronic brain pathology, and corporal punishment correlating with greater child aggression and mental health problems. Current educational practices may also harm children. Toddler swimming lessons occur amid high drowning rates; nonfatal near-drowning often requires hospitalization. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends barriers, swim skills, life-jackets, and constant non-distracted adult supervision. A substantial proportion of caregivers mistakenly reduce supervision after toddlers learn to swim, increasing drowning risk. Some toddlers may be traumatized when submerged before readiness.

Read at Psychology Today