Behavioral Challenges/ODD

Children don’t want to misbehave. They want to feel safe, loved and accepted. But when they don’t, behavioral issues often arise as a symptom of needing help. In reaction, families often find themselves walking on eggshells to ward of impending explosions, acquiescing to demands to neutralize situations, or confronting the behavior in such a way that adds fuel to the fire. Parents may have been encouraged to establish behavior plans, implement strict consequences, or use reward mechanisms to encourage the behavior that they want to see.

While some of these approaches work in certain situations, they may actually exacerbate the more intractable cases and inadvertently reinforce the very same behavior that the family is trying to stop.

For this reason, a clear understanding of the child’s underlying motivations is central to replacing their maladaptive behaviors with healthy ones. Once those needs are identified, more adaptive behaviors can be learned that, in turn, will arm them with the skills they need to navigate challenging events in the future.

If your child ….

• Demonstrates aggressive verbal or physical behavior (yelling, screaming, cursing, hitting, throwing things, kicking)
• Says "no" to any ideas or suggestions that you introduce
• Has damaged property in the home
• Seems impossible to talk to
• Becomes overwhelmed by the slightest frustration

…. please consider calling today to discuss a potential treatment plan. Treatment will almost always involve active participation by parents, caregivers and educators so that a systemic approach can be applied.