Only Child Syndrome – Characteristics, Symptoms, Treatment
What is Only Child Syndrome?
Only Child Syndrome is one of the most common behavioral syndromes found in kids. The syndrome actually gives it a negative connotation; however, it is not exactly the same as others. It is developed after birth and the syndrome is more of behavioral then biological. The Only Child Syndrome is obviously found in those kids who are the only child of their parents. The name itself suggests that the kids are different from the others. It may sound very simple that a child is only pampered and he or she behaves differently. However, it is not so simple indeed. The Only Child Syndrome can cause serious complications in the lifestyle of a child. However, it has some positive aspects too. The kids who are having Only Child Syndrome sometimes also called “Spoilt” or “Pampered” in non-medical terms.
Characteristics of Only Child Syndrome
The characteristics of the Only Child Syndrome are deeper then they appear. The kid with Only Child Syndrome tends to remain isolated from the crowd and rest of the people. It gives a huge impact on the childhood which then carries forward to the adulthood as well. The children face huge problems as they avoid mingling with others. It becomes a serious issue in adulthood and teenage. The child separates himself from the others and generally remains self-centered. However, the child may develop some good habits too due to the syndrome. The most common positive impacts are practicing healthy and hygienic lifestyle. But the negative list is so long that overcomes the positive side of the Only Child Syndrome sufferer.
Symptoms of Only Child Syndrome
It is very important for the family especially parents to identify and observed their kids if they are only child. The symptoms of the Only Child Syndrome can very well indicate the complications and they should take immediate action to eradicate the problem in order to provide their kid a healthy and normal life.
- The kid has difficulties to mingle with others and make friends. He loves to stay alone and isolated.
- He is very shy.
- He generally talks to an imaginary friend and talks to himself.
- The maturity rate is slower than the normal kids.
- The kid does not share the problems and tends to be with it.
- He is not at all confident.
- He has serious issues with happiness and does not want to be happy.
- He is way too exceptional and does not behave properly with others.
- There is a lack of competitive attitude, and the child may be hostile or jealous.
- They seek attention all the time and gets irritated if not given.
- They are sometimes self-insufficient as well.
- They are very self-esteemed and emotional.
- They tend to bring prestige in everything.
- Faces huge problems in doing team work and often remains incapable of performing it.
- Does not want to share anything with others.
- Faces difficulties live their life by own.
- They do not develop family or friendship bond and remains isolated.
All the symptoms are very complicated and can interfere in normal life. If any of the symptoms is noticed in your kid then, it is best to address it as early as possible.
Treatment of Only Child Syndrome
As it is a behavioral syndrome, so there is hardly any treatment for it. However, support therapies and consultations are equally needed to address the situation. It is the most important duties of the parents to take the primary treatment for the syndrome. Even though there is no medication for it but friendly behavior, mingling with others and constant indulgence with the child may help to reduce the effect. The parents should always be supportive and caring. They should try to make the child understand the value of team work and create situation where the child can actually have friends and can play together. The problem can only be solved at the childhood; otherwise it may become too late. Regular consultation with medical experts and therapies may also be helpful in the situation.
Being an only child is not a syndrome, it’s circumstantial. Just like being born with brown hair. There is not a syndrome to explain the behaviours for that circumstance. I hope that anyone scanning the internet looking for information on parenting does not read this poorly written piece of garbage. The information is outdated and incorrect. Children are individuals, whether they come from a family with many siblings or none. Children of large families can exhibit some or all of these traits as well, these are not solely those of the only child.
Being an only child sucks
Yes! Even though I am in my mid-fifties…..
I feel like it is more based on the parenting a child gets if they are going to avoid these characteristics, but we are products of our environment, so if the parents don’t know any better, some of these things will occur naturally. I am married to an only child and she is approaching 50. We have been married 3 years and she was never married before. She is a beautiful, wonderful woman, so I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t married, but there are things that speak loudly to me that I would attribute to her being an only child, because she is concerned about herself a whole lot more than I would expect a person to be, and she expects to be catered to. I was married for a long time before my late wife passed away, and this is a whole different world. Many of these characteristics show up.
Thank you for saying that. My daughter is an only child. Although, she doesn’t display any of those traits, this article had me super worried. She’s actually the opposite. She’s very caring, friendly, open, & always ready to mingle with other children. You made me feel better. Thank you!
Completely agree with you Cindy! I am the opposite of most of his comments!
Anna Marie
hahahaahahahaahahaahahahaa this is easily the dumbest comment I have ever seen. You sound extremely unintelligent and uneducated.
If thats not the case then you should probably turn off your computer and leave it on the curb, you have no value to add to just about anything from the sounds of it.
I disagree! I have an only child who is now 18 and has severe anti social issues and anxiety issues. He has attacks that make him so afraid sometimes he feels like he is dying!
You are obviously NOT an only child.
Being an only child myself i believe this article is extremely out of line, outdated and should not be read. To think people are going to read this and then judge angers me because we are almost the opposite to what this article suggests.
I feel the same way as you. I’m an only child and it is a really extreme and negative viewpoint. I feel really sad that the author judges people (no matter what their birth order) so harshly.
I would imagine you are young, you will recognize these traits easier as you age and mature. Don’t expect maturity until you learn it, it is ethereal and not easily recognized, but can be mimiced.
Totally agree with this article. I have yet to meet an only child who doesn’t display most of these negative traits.
You must have a very limited amount of only children in which to stand in judgment of.
It’s often, I’m the center of the universe thinking.
Totally agree with everything in this article. A very accurate portrayal of the only child.
Pull your head out of your ass and then look around! You probably have 3 kids syndrome! Now does’nt that sound stupid!
Oooh you are obviously an only! Lol
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I myself am an only child, and I am the mother of an only child. This so called Dr is a joke, this article is so out of line he is quack and a moron.
This article is very much the opposite of my only child life I am now 27 years old. I feel that they are implying being an only child is like a disease and needs to be treated immediately wtf!
I cannot agree with this article. It makes all only children sound like head cases. The only thing I would say about growing up as an only child is that sometimes you can feel lonely, particularly at times when your parents are preoccupied with their own stuff, since you have no siblings to take refuge with. You therefore become very self reliant – which isn’t a negative trait.
I have an only child. She is out-going, always wanting to be with others. I believe it’s because she’s lonely. She does infact try to make herself an equal to adults but that’s because she has alot of time with them and we have to tell her otherwise. I think part of it could be a little parenting but also personality of the child. I always attempted to keep my child around others. But on the other, hand it’s easier to and devote alot of time with one child rather than a bunch. My child deplays very little of what this article article is implying. But, it can be a little overwelming for us because the child wants attention and we can’t give it, they have no one else to seek out. But, we attempt to include her in whatever we are doing if it is possible. Every child is different.
Whomever wrote this article doesn’t know a thing about proper research and is spouting opinion rather than fact. This person also has terrible grammar and clearly did not care enough to have someone proofread the article before publishing it. If you’re too lazy to proofread, I highly doubt that you did any research at all, let alone proper research. Stop discriminating against people! Don’t you have better things to do?
Hahahaha another only!
You must be in love with this fraud of a doctor. Trolling and being a bully when anyone says anything negative about the article. By the way, this article is the worst, most untrue, pathetic portrayal of an only child which only an unfit doctor could produce
This guy doesn’t know a thing about proper research and is spouting opinion rather than fact. This person also has terrible grammar and clearly did not care enough to have someone proofread the article before publishing it. If you’re too lazy to proofread, I highly doubt that you did any research at all, let alone proper research. Stop discriminating against people! Don’t you have better things to do?
Having treated tens of thousands of kids with my wife (both orthodontists) i can safely say a lot of issues are escapeism. We haven’t been off ill for 15 years each – we have been ill but coughs colds etc. All just attitude. Look on the internet find a few similar symptoms and the blame everything on life – it is never our fault and society owes us. Our 7 year old daughter is happy, confident very successful sporting and academc without our reassurance. In our experience, we have met terrible multi kids and great single kids and vice versa. It is usually due to the parents. We have 4 degrees and 5 sets of royal college higher degrees between us but actually those that attend the university of common sense could spot the fact that lucky kids (1–>10+) have parents that care and support. P.s. playing classical music to a baby won’t make it any brighter butif it relaxes you then great
For those people who are attacking the writer of this article you are not justified in doing so. Those are traits of only children. What the writer failed to do is point out that many only children over come these traits and become the opposite do to several reasons. 1. How they are raised. 2. Changing in order to fit into society, all the while suppressing many of the traits pointed out in the article. 3. Having groups of friends growing up that replace the lack of siblings. I am an only child. And at the age of 53 many of the traits mentioned are just now manifesting themselves. I work at it everyday to keep many of the harmful one away. Relationships tend to be difficult because I have always try to nurtured everyone else, while not making demands for my wants or needs. People tend to find this selfish mainly because they have no understanding of what it is to be isolated and alone at a young age, with no peers to share things with, depend on, play or experience life with in the home environment. Many people few these traits as just improper behavior. What they really are is coping tools for mental stability.
I too am in my 50’s and feel the same way, whilst I was an only one I too now feel that things as you are now manifesting. I can be in a room full of friends and still feel like I’m an only one! I don’t blame my parents they could not have another child, but do think that while they loved and truly think they did the best by me, l do think if they gave me more experiences and confidence to try things there is no reason why an only child shouldn’t be confident and outgoing with the right parenting! I wasn’t spoilt as an only child I got what my parents could afford and learnt to appreciate what I got! Has my parents wasn’t made of money and never had a credit card!
Sorry but I know many only children and I am myself one and have never met an only child with those traits. And you ruined your argument saying they can overcome these traits when if they never had these traits to begin with, how do they overcome them? It’s based on personality. I know many children with siblings with the same exact traits that this phony doctor just described an only child has. This is a very pathetic article and couldn’t be more wrong. You obviously don’t know many only children
Couldn’t help but laugh whilst reading this article. It’s sad how ill informed this post is. I guess that’s the internet for you.
I am an adult only child. My parents fucked me over. I’m terrified of social situations but I’m also very lonely. They wouldn’t divorce. They stayed together for my sake supposedly. I always wanted siblings while watching other kids with theirs and feeling so alone. I will likely die alone too.
Try to overcome and don’t blame your parents for trying! I have an ONLY and I am divorced from his Dad but he still is having issues! I will never give up on him and would love to start a support group for ONLY’s???
This article is the biggest pile I’ve shit I’ve ever read.
How presumptuous
Spoilt is spoilt
Introverts are introverts
Narcissists are narcissists
This article couldn’t be more incorrect. I am an only child and I am outgoing, no social problems, self reliant, almost too kind, sharing was never a problem, in competitive, confident and have a lot of friends. Saying that they have imaginary friends means this guy doesn’t know shit. I have five friends out of many that are only children and never displayed any of these characteristics. Actually displayed the opposite. This is sad. If you really do research or know what an only child is like it is almost the exact opposite of this article.
You have only kids thats saying its true and some saying the opposite sooo must be some truth…Im an only myself and I have many traits, but I hide it well. I know if I start a family I wouldnt want only one kid.
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As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for more than 30 years, I can identify the “only child syndrome” almost immediately. They feel the “world revolves around them” and carry those traits until adulthood.
I am an ” only ” and I have noticed people tend to hold it against you if you are an ” only “. I wish they would realise that it is out of your control that you are an ” only”. I am an only because my mother had breast cancer when I was 2yrs old .
Totally false I am 65 yr only child. I matured too quick, spoiled hahahah I was always right who would tell me different , got my way cause no one to snitch me off. Books were my best friends I could trust them. of course I good friends but liked having my own room, bath, tv and credit card. Like my time. still do.. had 5 kids and 15 grands. Karmas a bitch but I love it.
This article is about spoiled brats. only child syndrome is a myth.
Look at all the narcissists thinking this doesn’t apply to them.
They can’t see the forest OR the trees. It’s the very definition of “only child syndrome”
We have a step grandson who was an “only” until 2 years ago (he’s 11). This piece fits him to a T.
He’s the most miserable, selfish, hateful human I’ve ever met. He is determined to be alone, he pushes everyone away, then can’t figure out why no one wants anything to do with him.
It’s heartbreaking, he’s a classic narcissist, convinced he knows everything. I am searching for ways to help him learn how to fit in, cause if something doesn’t click soon, he’s going to be this way for life.
I would imagine you are young, you will recognize these traits easier as you age and mature. Don’t expect maturity until you learn it, it is ethereal and not easily recognized, but can be mimiced.