Great Myths of Child Development (Hardcover)

Preface x

Introduction 1

1 Beginnings 9

#1 Identical twins have a telepathic connection that originates in the womb 10

#2 Couples dealing with infertility are more likely to get pregnant if they adopt 16

#3 Parents can predict the sex of a fetus by examining the shape of the mother’s body 22

#4 All boys have one Y chromosome (and all girls don’t) 27

#5 The attachment parenting approach strengthens the mother–infant bond 34

Speed busting for beginnings 41

#6 Identical twins have identical genes 41

#7 A woman who is already pregnant can’t get pregnant again 42

#8 The Chinese lunar calendar accurately predicts the sex of a baby 42

#9 Female fetuses have faster heart rates than male fetuses 43

#10 Epidurals create a high risk of harm during delivery 43

#11 More babies are born during a full moon 44

#12 Pre-chewing a baby’s food has no known risks 44

2 Growth, Body, & Mind 47

#13 Letting babies “cry it out” during bedtime is harmful to their development 48

#14 Sugar intake causes children to be hyperactive 55

#15 Using a baby walker will help a toddler walk sooner 60

#16 Showing cognitively stimulating videos to babies boosts their intelligence 65

#17 Using “baby talk” with an infant delays their ability to speak normally 71

#18 Vaccines caused the rise in autism diagnoses 77

Speed busting for growth, body, & mind 85

#19 A good response to stimulant medication is proof that a child has ADHD 85

#20 Requiring children to “clean their plates” promotes healthy eating habits 86

#21 Dyslexia’s defining feature is letter reversal 86

#22 Most babies can learn to read with the right learning program 87

#23 Educational kinesiology promotes learning in children 87

#24 Facilitated communication is effective for children with autism 87

#25 Dolphin-assisted therapy effectively treats children with special needs 88

3 Emotions & Behavior 92

#26 Bed-wetting is a sign of serious emotional problems 93

#27 Most antidepressants for children with depression are approved by the FDA 99

#28 Drawings contain specific signs useful in identifying subconscious problems 106

#29 Most toddlers go through a “terrible twos” stage 115

#30 Kids can be “scared straight” from delinquency 122

Speed busting for emotions & behavior 129

#31 Parents can usually tell when their child is depressed 129

#32 Young girls are more likely to have clinical depression than young boys 130

#33 Helping children avoid their fears is the best way to decrease their anxiety 130

#34 Adults can usually tell if a child is lying 131

#35 Seeing other people be aggressive will decrease children’s aggressive drive 131

#36 School homicides are on the rise 132

#37 Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) prevents drug use 132

4 Social Environment 135

#38 An “only child” is likely to be selfish, spoiled, and socially incompetent 136

#39 Divorce ruins most kids’ lives 142

#40 If you “spare the rod” you will “spoil the child” 148

#41 Brief time-outs are too weak to help decrease real behavior problems 156

#42 Daycare damages the attachment between children and parents 162

#43 Imaginary friends are a sign of social-emotional problems in children 168

Speed busting for social environment 174

#44 Birth order is a powerful predictor of a child’s personality 174

#45 The most common reason for sibling fights is the rivalry for parental love 174

#46 Parent–child relationship disruptions can be repaired with holding therapy 174

#47 Fathers use more corporal punishment than mothers 175

#48 Rewards usually decrease the desirable behavior they’re intended to increase 175

#49 Praise undermines children’s ability to be successful 176

#50 Parents were not permissive when I was a kid 177

Postscript: Closing Thoughts 180

Index 189