Understanding Childhood's Sexual Curiosity: An Introduction to Sexual Health Education and Health Promotion

Many parents face challenges to respond to child sexual questions. These questions are generally non-projected, but appropriate and proportionate response to such questions is the most challenging for parenting issues. So, identifying sexual questions that are frequently asked by children, and on the other hand, through proper education to parents, response to curious questions of children can be tailored to age and gender correctly. Therefore, this study was designed to explore children’s sexual questions. This research was a qualitative content analysis study. The samples were selected on the basis of objective and purposive sampling. Samples consisted of 20 parents living in the city of Ahvaz. Data were gathered through semi-structured and unstructured interviews. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively through content analysis simultaneously and using the software MAXQDA 10. Children sexual curious questions suggested 3 main themes: 1) changes in sexual characteristics, 2) gender differences and relations between the sexes, & 3) pregnancy, child birth and pregnancy prevention- which consisted of 9 sub-classes. The reason and process of pregnancy, how baby is born and sex differences were the most questions that children had asked. In order to answer the sexual questions properly in regard to age and gender, it is recommended that an educational package be designed to answer children questions.