There are many more factors to take into account when raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to raising a neurotypical child, one of which is challenging behavior.
The ability to participate in school, extracurricular activities, and social life can be severely hampered by challenging behavior. And so, they may have a significant effect on the growth and education of your child.
They can also present difficulties for parents who are unprepared for them and unaware of how to prevent them.
What does difficult behavior entail?
ASD is accompanied by a wide range of behaviors that are uncommon in children with neurotypical development. Rituals, repetitive actions, repeated statements, and obsessive hobbies can all fall under this category.
Not all of these many behaviors, though, are inherently “difficult”.
Contrary to each of these instances, challenging behavior particularly refers to persistent behavior that upsets the individual or others nearby or puts them in bodily danger. Each of these instances of problematic behavior might also restrict your child’s participation in day-to-day activities.
Several instances of difficult behavior include:
• Turning down or avoiding inquiries
• Use of harsh language and actions
• Self-harm, including headbanging
• Socially unacceptable conduct
Your child did not intend any of these behaviors. Autism causes people to perceive the world differently, which can cause a great deal of tension, anxiety, and frustration. Autism can frequently spill over into problematic behavior in kids and teenagers.
Here are a few suggestions to aid parents of autistic children in managing difficult behavior and possibly even avoiding it altogether.
First, recognize the triggers.
It doesn’t just appear out of nowhere; difficult behavior, like all other behavior, has a purpose. The majority of the time, these behaviors are a reaction to the environment, distress, or particular events:
• Sensory exhaustion
• Weariness and exhaustion
• Routine modifications
• Aches and discomfort
It is possible to prevent challenging behavior in children by understanding what makes them act out.
It’s crucial to not limit your attention to the obvious causes of triggers. A trigger for troublesome behavior is frequently merely a small aspect of a bigger issue. Understanding the underlying problem that a trigger presents will help you deal with it more successfully.
Tip #2: Get rid of triggers
The easiest strategy to prevent problematic behavior is to minimize the triggers that cause it, which is why it’s crucial to start by identifying and comprehending triggers.
Once you’ve discovered your child’s triggers, you may start thinking about ways to get rid of them. For instance, reducing the intensity of sensory input as much as possible can help minimize problematic behavior brought on by sensory overstimulation. That may entail offering sunglasses and earplugs to filter off light and noise.
Another choice is to provide your child the means to distance themselves from possible stressors. One choice might be to speak with your child’s teacher and set up a time-out for them anytime they feel overstimulated.
Create coping mechanisms (tip 3).
Not all triggers can be eliminated or completely avoided. While it would be ideal if you could completely avoid triggers, this is just not possible, especially if you want your child to take part in daily activities.
The best course of action in these circumstances is to build contingency plans for times when triggers are impossible to avoid.
In situations like this, your child may be able to employ a variety of different coping mechanisms to reduce worry and handle difficult behavior. The approaches that work best for your child will vary.
Tip 4: Implement change slowly
Autism-affected youngsters value consistency and routine, and a lack of either can be upsetting. This can include everything from the hour you pick up your child from school to the precise path you take home.
A change in routine is frequently unavoidable when a child is young. While many are unforeseen, some can be planned for, such as your child moving up a year level and getting their yearly physical and dental exams.
In such circumstances, you might decrease the effect (and thus, the likelihood of difficult behavior) by
• Explain the concept to your child in advance and give them time to get used to it.
• Introducing new people gradually (new teachers, new doctors, etc)
• Specifying the details of the change.
• Creating timetables, calendars, and visual schedules
Tip 5: Show them the proper and safe ways to disconnect.
Sometimes removing yourself from a difficult situation is the best course of action. Children that have autism are also affected in the same way. In many situations, removing your child from a situation before it escalates and leads to challenging behavior may be the best course of action.
However, there are numerous instances in which getting up and leaving is not socially acceptable. Your youngster cannot just end a discussion, for instance. As a parent, one way you may assist is by showing them the proper and safe ways to do it.
That may entail teaching your child not only how to recognize when they are beginning to feel overwhelmed but also how to gently and tactfully leave a conversation.
Tip 6: You don’t have to accomplish this by yourself.
Even though you are their parent, you don’t have to handle everything on your own. When your child has a toothache, you take them to the dentist rather than attempting to treat the pain yourself because there are some situations that you are simply not prepared to handle.
The same logic holds true for challenging behavior. Making contact with a specialist in positive behavior support and training can assist you with each of the aforementioned steps and help you prevent problematic behavior more successfully.
