Great Myths of Child Development

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