Challenging behaviour

Has anyone ever dealt with challenging behaviour?

[Hidden]

Depends in what context ?

BOB

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My son wants to go out all day and all night and in car or buses or train. He shows challenging behaviour if he doesn’t get what he wants. He is nonverbal that is cannot talk and low functioning. He kicks and head butts and bites. Only for little while. But nobody knows how to cope.

[Hidden]

He is nonverbal and released emotions as challenging behaviour

[Itzallgood1]

Yes. I know people at my work who think i should do all the work.

[SoporRose]

Vonus559,

My heart goes out to you. It is so difficult to endure having someone we love lash out at us. Such behaviour exhausts both the body and the mind of both the parent and the child.

You haven't told us how old nor how big your son is and his age will make a significant difference in how you respond. A five-year-old who acting out in this way will need different interventions than a sixteen-year-old. Is his doctor aware of this behaviour? Is he in therapy? Is he in school? If he is, what resources might the school provide? How long has this behaviour been going on? Does he has a particular diagnosis — autism, for example?

You write that no one knows what to do. What has been tried?

If your son is older and strong enough to hurt you, you have to consider your own safety and that of other family members. His reactions to being told "no," even if they only occur for a little while, are potentially harmful.

I think the place to start is with your son's pediatrician or your family doctor. If you have a cell phone, you might get someone to record some instances of this behaviour to show the doctor. If you can, it might be helpful to keep a record of how often this behaviour occurs, how long it lasts, and the times when it occurs. Is it more likely to happen when your son is tired or in the morning or when he has been asked to do something he doesn't want to do, such as switch activities? Is there something you notice going on right before he gets upset? (Was the TV on? Had he eaten something particular? Was there a sound he doesn't like? ) Does he behave this way with other caregivers?

And tell the doctor how you have tried to handle your son's anger. Do you put him in his room? Do you talk to him? Does distraction work? What soothes him? The more information you can bring to the physician, the more likely the doctor will be able to steer you to the help you need.

I have known a number of children who have gone through phases like this and have outgrown them, but it takes time, patience, perseverance to find the right combination of home interventions, therapy, and medication. I hope you can swiftly find a way to help your son manage his emotions, for your sake as well as for his.