Why You Shouldn’t Spank, According to the AAP
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly opposes the use of flogging, calling for the prohibition of corporal punishment. It also states that “harsh verbal discipline,” including shame and humiliation, is harmful to a child’s developing brain.
The AAP announced today that it will update its 20-year “ effective discipline guide, ” which stated that “corporal punishment has limited effectiveness and potentially harmful side effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends encouraging and helping parents develop methods other than spanking to manage unwanted behavior. “
The new statement goes further, clearly emphasizing that flogging is more than just a limitation in its effectiveness. In fact, this is both ineffective and harmful:
According to the AAP, corporal punishment and harsh verbal abuse can make a child fearful in the short term, but do not improve behavior in the long term and may cause more aggressive behavior. In one study, according to a study, young children who were spanked more than twice a month at age 3 were more aggressive at age 5. The same children, aged 9, continued to exhibit negative behaviors and lower scores in receptive vocabulary.
Research has shown that hitting, yelling at, or shaming a child can increase levels of stress hormones and lead to changes in brain architecture. Harsh verbal abuse is also associated with mental health problems in children and adolescents.
“The good news is that fewer parents support the use of flogging than in the past,” said Dr. Robert D. Sedge, a former member of the AAP Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect and author of a policy statement. “However, corporal punishment remains legal in many states, despite evidence that it harms children — not only physically and mentally, but also in terms of their performance in school and their interactions with other children.”
It is more effective to use discipline methods that are calm and controlled, such as setting clear rules and expectations, showing consistency, and encouraging positive behavior, the statement said.