Q: I have a son who is 3.5 years old. Now a days he seems to have a peculiar habit. We are a joint family living along with a brother and his children. My son will be playing with children and suddenly when he sees me or my wife he will come near us and touch our body with his finger and then lick that finger. He is doing this for the past 6 months only. Can you please explain this behaviour?

A:Your child has picked up this habit perhaps to get a sense of security that you are around. Try to focus his attention away from this habit but do not make him too conscious about it. Try to ignore it if possible. Do keep a look-out for other symptoms of insecurity. Try to analyse whether you are giving him sufficient time and affection for his other more desirable behaviours.