Parents often find their children doing tantrums. Despite putting in lots of effort, sometimes, parents find themselves in nowhere to understand why their children are behaving in such a way and how to pacify them.
We have experienced pediatric therapists and doctors who are dedicatedly handling many such cases of children with problematic behavioral issues. ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is often considered to understand how behavior works and how they are affected by certain circumstances or environment. Our therapists have already worked with thousands of kids with behavioral issues and helped them improve their conditions with specially designed ABA therapy for kids.
We suggest parents remain calm and sensitive to their kids and not shout at them, because this could only worsen the situation. No kid ever shows tantrums or resistance, agitation, irritability, etc without any reasons.
In today’s blog, we will disclose the 4 chief functions that can cause certain behaviors in children. Understanding these functions helps parents understand their kids and take the right steps to improve their behaviors.
Let’s Outline 4 Chief Functions That Our ABA Therapists Have Explained
Sensory – Sensory-seeking behaviors occur when a child wants to experience a pleasant sensation or replace discomfort. This type of behavior gives children that stimulation. Parents can find their children in this type of behavior especially when they are excited or anxious. Some examples of Sensory behaviors can be- hand clapping, nail biting, nose picking, holding hands close to the face or eyes, jumping, spinning, etc.
Parents must understand that displaying this type of behavior serve the function of sensory input.
Escape – Escaping behaviors occur when the children want to remove undesirable situations and interactions. Parents may find their children escape when they ask them to perform when tasks are hard, repetitive, or boring. Some examples of escaping behaviors can be – running away and hiding under the table or throwing a plate of vegetables on the ground.
Parents should handle this type of situation calmly. When they find their children showing this type of behavior in an attempt to escape, you need to offer them various choices or works to pick from. Or, you can use a “first-then” prompt, such as- first we eat or do your homework then you can play your favorite video game.
Attention – Another type of problematic behavior can be Attention-seeking behavior. In this type of scenario, children look for feedback or recognition from others. You need to understand why your kids do so! It can happen when your kids need direct attention from you. Many times kids also show some attention-seeking behavior to get attention from teachers, peers, or other individuals. This type of behavior can be – doing something like disturbing class because friends find it funny, or repeatedly doing something when parents ask them not to do it, etc.
This type of behavior can be annoying but parents or teachers should handle it calmly. They may try to provide attention for appropriate behaviors and not react to the challenging behaviors.
Tangible – Tangible-seeking behaviors can be extremely challenging for parents. Children show this type of behavior to get access to preferred activities or items. What could be those items? Well, it could be an iPad, ball, food, toy, and literally anything that can physically be held. Examples of this type of behavior can be- kicking and screaming, becoming aggressive, crying or falling on the floor to get access to the desired items.
What should parents do? First of all, remain calm and use a soothing voice tone. You can train your child to ask for items appropriately.
Bottom Line
We hope, now you understand the functions that cause problematic behaviors in children.
However, if you feel your child has behavioral traits that are beyond your control, we suggest you to visit your nearby best ABA therapy clinic.
Or, you can schedule a consultation with one of our therapists to discuss the condition of your kid. We offer one-of-a-kind ABA therapy in Dubai. We believe every kid is unique so are his/her needs.
Therefore, don’t wait! Talk to our therapist today!
