Children usually appear dazed, flushed, and preoccupied while they are masturbating. Some parents are surprised that masturbation can normally begin in toddlers and preschoolers. Up to one third of children discover masturbation while exploring their bodies at 1 or 2 years of age. Most continue to do it simply because it feels good. Children may masturbate as often as several times each day, or as seldom as once a week.
Masturbation occurs more often when they are sleepy, bored, watching television, or under stress.
Some children masturbate frequently because they are unhappy about something, such as the birth of a sibling or having their pacifier taken away. Others are reacting to punishment or parental pressure to stop masturbating, which only makes them do it more. Masturbation has no medical causes. Once a child discovers masturbation, he will seldom stop doing it completely. He may do it less frequently if power struggles or unhappy feelings are remedied.