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There are many different and specific situations that can cause challenging behavior in a child. According to a certified ABA therapist, four main reasons a child could display a challenging behavior include; attention-seeking, escape/avoidance, sensory stimulation, and access to materials. Tackling these behaviors with your child can be hard, however, here are some helpful tips!

Tip #1: Token Boards. Token boards are one of the easiest ways to implement positive reinforcement, in fact, most speech-language pathologists use this often in their sessions! How it works is that the child will earn a token or a star for each positive behavior they exhibit, then at the end, all the tokens or stars can be used for a time on the iPad, playing with their favorite toy, or even for candy! Token boards are so versatile and it’s an easy way to encourage positive behavior and work towards a reward.

Tip #2: Timers. Timers come in handy often and are a great way to provide a visual for your child when it comes to doing a certain task. Timers can also be used as a way to provide reinforcement, for example, for every 5 minutes you do your work then you can have 3 minutes of play. The time gives a clear picture of what is expected of them!

Tip #3: Visuals and schedules. Sometimes when a child is exhibiting a behavior it is because they are unaware of what is expected of them, but visuals are great for this! You can make visuals of different rules and reinforcement choices to outline exactly what the child has to do. Schedules are also great since it can help with transitions. Allowing your child to see what they are doing and at what time helps create a better picture of what needs to be done and for how long the activity will take place.

Tip #4: Follow through and offer praise! Being consistent with your limits and expectations plays a huge role when it comes to handling behaviors. It is confusing for children when they are allowed to do something one day and not the next. Additionally, verbal praise is always good! It is positive and motivating, and can even be powerful when done the right way. Make sure to keep your praise specific, let them know exactly what they did right!

Understanding why your child behaves a certain way can often help with a plan to intervene with that behavior more easily. Oftentimes the key to preventing these difficult behaviors has been positive reinforcement and consistency. Hopefully, these tips help!

• Paige F

https://busybeespeech.com/tackle-behavior-challenges-like-boss/