Is it normal for child to touch her genitals in public ?

Are you worried about your toddler touching his/her genitals in public ? You are not alone. Children are curious about everything including their bodies.  At this age , physical exploration has less to do with sex and more to do with cause and effect. Your toddler may have realized that touching her  genitals makes her feel good.

Let your child  know that you understand that what she’s doing feels good . However certain activities are best done in private.  You can gently take the child’s hand and distract her. You have to remember to praise her for waiting till she gets home. You can come up with a special code  to get her attention when she forgets herself and touches  her genitals in public. You can also distract your child with  hands on activities such as drawing with crayons or building  blocks.

It is not a good idea to scold, forbid or shame the child. This may make the behavior worse and also it teaches the child to be ashamed of her body and feeling that are associated with it. If you are home, don’t make a fuss. Just ignore it.

If the child continues this behavior, you have to check with the pediatrician to make sure the child is not doing it because of Urinary  Tract Infection or other health problems.