You can look up in the Developmental Chart what types of sexual behaviour often occur in infants. Each behaviour described is given a flag according to the Sensoa Flag System:
- green flag = acceptable sexual situation
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yellow flag = moderately transgressive sexual situation
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red flag = seriously transgressive sexual situation
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black flag = severely transgressive sexual situation
First time you are using the Developmental Chart? Then read up on how to use the developmental chart.
What does the Developmental Chart say about sexual behaviour in infants?
Emotional development
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Infants can enjoy sensory stimuli, but can either underreact (be indifferent) or overreact (be overexcited, defensive). They enjoy skin contact, being touched and being physical.
From 6 months on, they develop a preference for significant others.
Infants:
- depend on others for their basic security;
- will also actively look for it;
- have difficulty sharing attention or missing significant others.
Infants communicate through signals and with their whole body. They already mimic facial expressions, words and gestures. From 6 months on, infants communicate with facial expressions, sign language and gestures.
Infants ask for physical and verbal contact. Initially, there is not much difference in their emotions. As infants get older, you can more clearly distinguish between cheerfulness, love, anger and fear.
Infants unconsciously adopt the emotions of significant others. They show that they miss the other persons. Initially, there is no awareness of norms and infants do not realise they are hurting others. You can only physically prevent infants from doing something wrong. The physical presence of the significant other(s) is necessary to set boundaries and have rules followed.
There is no transfer of boundaries and rules to new situations yet, and a lot of repetition is necessary. When frustrated, infants depend on external regulation of stimuli: rocking, massage, physical contact, a recognisable voice. They often want immediate satisfaction of their needs.
Green flag response guidelines
Moderately transgressive behaviour - yellow flag
- Infants may smear faeces, saliva or other body fluids.
- Infants may exhibit persistent and extremely exploratory behaviour.
! Enhanced vigilance is advisable in the event of:
- sexual interaction that is 'claiming';
- extreme and disproportionate reactions to a minor incident;
- extreme sensory handling of certain objects (e.g., licking and smelling);
- atypically expressing fear by, for example, interacting too easily with people or situations, or not showing any reaction;
- marked protesting behaviour, agitation, apathy, aggressiveness toward the significant other(s);
- rapid mood swings.
Physical development: skin contact and suckling
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Skin contact is a source of satisfaction. Being cuddled, caressed and kissed can feel pleasant.
Infants suckle, bite and make noises. The suckling reflex such as thumb sucking is prevalent immediately after birth.
Infants may get erections. There is no consensus yet whether this is caused by sexual pleasure or pressure on the bladder.
Touching the genitalia (of others)
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Boys from 6 to 8 months and girls from 8 to 11 months touch their genitalia involuntarily. When their motor skills are sufficiently developed and they can purposefully grasp something (usually from 11 months on), touching the genitalia becomes more intentional. This is usually from 11 months on, but other sources indicate around 6-7 months for boys and around 10-11 months for girls.
Children show interest in the genitalia of others. From 13 months in the male genitalia, from 17 months in the female genitalia.
This interest barely decreases until the age of 6.
Green flag response guidelines
Moderately transgressive behaviour - yellow flag
Touching and stimulating genitalia in public is moderately transgressive behaviour due to the inappropriate context.
! Enhanced vigilance in the event of:
touching or exposing other children's genitalia without consent.
Masturbating - playing with genitalia
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Between the age of 15 and 19 months, infants explore their bodies. They stimulate their genitalia, for example with their hand, by squeezing their thighs together or by rubbing their genitals against something.
Walking around naked - frolicking and cuddling
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Infants walk and crawl around naked. Infants are not yet aware of context-related rules.
Infants like to be cuddled, caressed and kissed. Skin contact is a source of satisfaction. Touching can give a pleasant feeling.
Green flag response guidelines
Moderately transgressive behaviour - yellow flag
Walking around naked in public when it is unsafe or dangerous is moderately transgressive behaviour, due to the inappropriate context.
Gender - differences between women and men
Acceptable behaviour - green flag
Infants can see the differences in appearance between women and men. They do not yet fully realise that these are permanent characteristics. They cannot yet correctly indicate their own gender.
More on the Developmental Chart
How is the Developmental Chart used?
Download the Developmental Chart as PDF
This document covers all behaviours, emotional expressions and methods of responding at any age. It also contains the sources of the scientific literature on which the Developmental Chart is based.
