A
pedophile is a person, most frequently a man, who focuses his
sexual fantasies and behavior toward children. People who enjoy
child pornography are pedophiles. Some pedophiles are sexually
attracted only toward children and are not at all attracted toward
adults. Pedophilia is usually a chronic condition. Main characteristics
are:
Repeatedly for at least 6 months, the patient has intense sexual
desires, fantasies or behaviors concerning sexual activity with
a sexually immature child (usually age 13 or under).
This causes clinically important distress or impairs work, social
or personal functioning.
The patient is 16 or older and at least 5 years older than the
child.
State whether:
Sexually Attracted to Males.
Sexually Attracted to Females.
Sexually Attracted to Males and Females.
Specify if:
Limited to incest
State whether:
Exclusive type (aroused only by children).
Nonexclusive type.
When
a pedophile becomes sexually active with a child he/she may:
Undress the child.
Encourage the child to watch them masturbate.
Touch or fondle the child’s genitals.
Forcefully perform sexual acts on the child.
Associated
Features:
Abuse (past
or present)
Somatic or Sexual Dysfunction
Sexually Deviant Behavior
The idea of Sex as a Requisite for Affection.
Differential
Diagnosis:
Some disorders have similar or even the same symptoms. The clinician,
therefore, in his/her diagnostic attempt has to differentiate
against the following disorders which need to be ruled out to
establish a precise diagnosis.
Impulse
Control Disorder
Delirium.
Dementia.
Cause:
Most
paraphilic fantasies begin in late childhood or adolescence and
continue throughout adult life. Intensity and occurrence of the
fantasies are variable, and they usually decrease as people get
older.
Treatment:
Treatment
option can be a mixture of psychotherapy and medication.
Cognitive,
behavior, and psychoanalytic therapies are used to treat individuals
with paraphilia's.
Pharmacotherapy
[ See
Psychopharmacology Section ] :
Some prescription medicines have been used to help decrease the
compulsive thinking associated with the paraphilia's. Hormones
are prescribed occasionally for individuals who experience intrusive
sexual thoughts, urges, or abnormally frequent sexual behaviors.
Almost always the treatment must be long-term if it is to be effective.
