Childhood misbehavior can be conceptualized as potentially normative behavior; in some cases, it may actually indicate healthy psychological development. And, childhood misbehavior can be seen as a potential symptom of an otherwise difficult-to-notice mental health problem.
Parents and clinicians may be tempted to label children who repeatedly act out of defiance or misbehave as “oppositional or defiant”.
Rather than looking at behavioral symptoms, we like to look at an underlying cause of such behaviors and to explore other clinical explanations of children acting out – so that we may support parents in addressing the root of the problem.
Instead of looking at temper tantrums as disasters, they can be real opportunities for education and growth – here is what they can mean and how to avoid them:
Tantrums are how young children show that they’re upset or frustrated – from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath holding, they are equally common in boys and girls.
Some kids may have them often, and others have them rarely; they may happen when kids are tired, hungry, or uncomfortable; when they can’t get something (like a toy or a parent), or are unable to do something on their own. They are learning to deal with frustration, how to cope, and communicate, skills they gain over time.
Being proactive and trying to prevent tantrums from happening, whenever possible, is the key.
Reinforce good attitudes with affirmations, acknowledgments; reward your child with attention for positive behavior.
Try to give your child some control over certain things; offer them choices, such as “Do you want orange juice or water?” or “Do you want to brush your teeth before or after taking a bath?” This way, you can avoid being given a “no” for an answer, if you just tell them what to do or ask if they want one specific thing.
Keep off-limits objects out of their sight and reach, whenever possible – this makes struggles less likely.
Support your kid in learning new skills and succeeding – help them to learn to do things; encourage them and help them feel proud of what they can do. Always start with something simple before moving on to more complex and challenging tasks.
When your child wants something, consider the request carefully; is it outrageous, foolish, unrealistic, etc.? Maybe it isn’t, so learn to choose your battles.
Stay calm, remind yourself that your job is helping your child learn to process things and to calm down – your own frustration or anger can only complicate the problem.
Know your child’s limits – if you know he or she may be getting tired or overwhelmed, it’s not the best time to start of continue an activity, or go somewhere.
Distract your child – take advantage of his or her short attention span by offering something else in place of what they can’t have; start a new activity to replace the frustrating or forbidden one. Or, simply change the environment if you can, go outside or move to a different room.
Sometimes, vision or hearing problems, a chronic illness, language delays, or a learning disability can make kids more likely to have tantrums.
It’s essential to look at functional vision problems that may be affecting your child’s emotional, social, and academic behavior and behavioral development, as many studies have revealed strong evidence that they could be signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and ADD.
Understanding functional vision problems is important because ADHD and vision problems often result in similar symptoms.
Vision therapy helps people improve their visual skills, and can help ADHD patients correct the eye movements that may be contributing to the condition.
Many people take the complex and often difficult route of therapy services and/or medications that in many instances have not been as useful and beneficial.
While every case is different, in some instances, controlling eye movement could well be all that’s required to reduce ADHD-like symptoms.
At Vision Development Center of Lancaster, we are dedicated to helping children through our vision therapy program with treatments and exercises that can truly change the life of someone with symptoms of ADD and ADHD.
If you or anyone else you know is suffering from a visual dysfunction or are looking for natural treatment for ADHD in children, we encourage you to take steps to better health and quality of life today – and avoid unnecessary medications when possible.
If you are searching for ADHD doctors in Lancaster PA, and would like to know more about the vision development and vision therapy, we invite you to call our office at (717) 656-0534 today to make an appointment, or start by taking our free symptoms survey.