Masturbation - Jiji (English spelling) Infantile masturbation

Japanese: 自慰 - じい（英語表記）Infantile masturbation

What is the disease?

It is an act in which an infant or small child stimulates their genitals by touching them, pressing them against something, or squeezing their legs together. Unlike adult masturbation, it has no sexual meaning.

What is the cause?

Infants touch various parts of their own body to confirm the structure and movements of their own body. Sucking their thumbs, licking their toes, and staring at their hands (hand-respecting) can be considered as such exploratory behaviors. Genital touching can also be considered as such exploratory behavior, since the genitals are within the reach of infants' hands. It is thought that a unique sensation occurs when touching the genitals, and that this is what is repeated.

How symptoms manifest

In addition to repeatedly touching or squeezing the private parts or genitals, the patient may press the private parts against furniture or other objects through clothing, or close the legs tightly and apply pressure to the private parts or genitals. At the same time, the patient may tense the whole body and turn red in the face.

Treatment methods

Traditionally, masturbation has been considered a bad act, and people tend to give sexual meaning to masturbation by infants and young children, but as mentioned above, it does not have a sexual meaning. It is recommended not to scold them, but to guide them to change their interest to something else. However, if you do not do so, it will not have a negative effect on the sexual development of infants and young children.

Yoichi Sakakibara

Source: Houken “Sixth Edition Family Medicine Encyclopedia” Information about the Sixth Edition Family Medicine Encyclopedia

Japanese:

どんな病気か

　乳幼児が陰部を触ったり、何かに押しつけたり、あるいは足を閉じて力を入れるような行動で、自らの陰部に刺激を与える行為です。成人の自慰と異なり、性的な意味はありません。

原因は何か

　乳児は、自分の体のいろいろなところを触って、自分の体のつくりと動きを確認します。指しゃぶりや足先なめ、手をじっと見るハンドリガードは、そうした探索行動と考えられます。乳幼児の手の届くところにちょうどあるのが陰部であるために、性器いじりもそうした探索行動と考えられます。そうした性器いじりをしている時に、独特の感覚が生じ、それを繰り返して行うのだと考えられます。