BEHAVIOUR
The only way to address behavioural issues is to understand the basis for the behaviour. If we merely focus on the behaviour and don’t understand what may be influencing the choices the child/teen is making, we’re potentially taking a ‘band aid’ approach, which will most likely be ineffective in the long-term and may actually have a negative impact. From a diagnostic perspective, there are many diagnoses that can relate to the behaviour of a child, including:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Adjustment Disorder
- Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (e.g., Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)/Conduct Disorder)
Important to consider is that, understanding other factors (e.g., academic challenges/frustrations) that may be significantly impacting a child's frustration levels and subsequent behaviour is extremely important. Without this understanding, issues are often inaccurately identified, which can be very damaging.