An effective approach that takes into account challenging behaviors (problem behaviors) and health concerns.

If you are a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you will often encounter situations where your child exhibits challenging behavior.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism are at increased risk for challenging behaviors, especially if they also have intellectual disability or communication and adaptive skills deficits.

Health Problems and Challenging Behaviors

According to research, children with neurodevelopmental disorders experience a variety of health problems more frequently, including gastrointestinal problems, headaches, allergies, and sleep problems.

Children who exhibit particularly challenging behaviors may experience more health problems, and when they have communication difficulties, these health problems often go undetected.

References: May, Michael and Kennedy, Craig (2010). Health and Problem Behavior Among People with Intellectual Disabilities, Behavior Analysis in Practice, 3(2).

The correlation between health problems and challenging behaviors

According to a study by May and Kennedy (2010), challenging behaviors in children with autism are often associated with health problems.

We have seen many cases where children with constipation showed challenging behaviors due to the pain caused by it. If they were unable to express themselves due to lack of communication and did not receive medical treatment, they may have continued to suffer from pain for years and showed behavioral problems for no reason.

Additionally, it is said that children with otitis media symptoms engaged in self-harming behaviors to reduce surrounding noise, but self-harming behaviors did not occur when the symptoms disappeared.

The role of parents

It is important to understand that a child’s challenging behavior may not always have a behavioral cause. Consider your child’s health issues and seek professional help when necessary.

1. Keep a record of your actions as you observe them

• It is important to monitor your child's behavior, and if you cannot find any cause for your child's challenging behavior, monitor his or her bowel or sleep patterns, etc. It is necessary to check whether the behavior occurs more frequently at certain times or in certain situations.
• It is a good idea to keep a diary or record to monitor your child's health problems. For example, you can record your child's bowel patterns, sleep times, eating habits, etc. to detect health problems early. This data can be useful information when consulting with your doctor.

2. Consult with an expert

• If your child's challenging behavior persists or you suspect a health problem, it is important to seek professional advice. Consulting with a doctor, therapist, or psychologist can help you receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment. It is necessary to seek professional help to understand your child's behavior and take appropriate measures.

It is generally understood that children with neurodevelopmental disorders who exhibit challenging behaviors (problem behaviors) receive ABA behavioral therapy.

However, it is very important to always consider your child's health issues in addition to behavioral therapy, and addressing health issues may lead to better outcomes.

If you can uncover the cause of the behavior through long-term observation and recording, it would be a good idea to look at your child from various angles!