Will My Child Always Behave This Way?

This is a question that faces every parent when they become frustrated with the behavior their child.

The autism behavior that can be displayed can go from quiet and sad to extremely violent and dangerous with no end in sight. Because of the sensitivity issues that cause children with autism to become over stimulated easily they are more prone to violent meltdowns than children who are developing at a typical rate. The good news is there is help that can be found in the form of Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy.

While it’s been found that autism is genetically present in children, we have seen evidence of children growing and developing beyond the diagnosis of doctors with the used of different therapy methods. While Occupational Therapy assist children with their skills and control over their bodies, Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy will help with the autism behavior that is presented. This therapy aids children in learning what their triggers are and how to take a break from the group in order to gain control over themselves, which allows them to be able to socialize and enjoy the fun of playing with other children.

For parents the first part to changing a child’s behavior is to learn what they need. This means you have to simply accept that things which seem normal for you are giving your child with autism the stress they don’t want to experience. This could be a simple as a flickering light bulb, a bolt of lightning, a doorbell or even the church bells. While you learn what their triggers are and how they experience these things you also need to learn how to teach your child to read your own cues such as boredom and frustration so they can learn the proper responses to these feelings.

Because it’s difficult at times to understand why your child has the behavior they do it’s a good idea to record some of these actions and speak with an ABA Therapist. You may need to keep a diary of the actions and the autism behavior displayed to find a pattern in them to learn what your child is trying to tell you. This becomes even more difficult when a child is non-verbal because they can’t express their feeling in words at all. With the help of an ABA Therapist you may be able to come up with possible solutions to why your child has smeared their poop on the walls or why they run around the living room when you are trying to have a quiet moment of peace.

Will your child’s behavior change? Certainly, and so will yours. Once the two of you begin to learn how to communicate and understand each other you will have many events that are enjoyable and fewer meltdowns. If you need some guidance or a suggestion as to which ABA Therapist to visit, come and see the friendly faces at We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym in Santa Monica, CA. This team is a great resource for you and can help you to understand your child and their behavior much easier than before.

Andrew Rutter is the author of this article. For further details about Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy and autism behavior please visit the website.

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