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Behavior Management for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

You ask your child to pack a bag for school and your child screams “I know! Stop reminding me!” Your gut reaction is to send your child to their room for talking back to you. However, if you are parenting a child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this type of punishment won’t decrease behavioral problems. But, what will?

Why Traditional Discipline Fails

ASD results in a variety of intellectual, social, behavioral, and communication problems. These problems make it difficult for children with ASD to understand the rules of society and the results of their actions.

For these reasons, traditional methods of discipline that use negative reinforcement will only make the behavior worse and increase tension. However, by reinforcing positive behaviors, you may begin to decrease behavioral problems over time.

Focus on the Positive

Your child may not understand why certain behaviors result in punishment. However, if you provide your child with rewards for positive behaviors, he or she will be more likely to repeat them in the future.

The reward that each child desires will vary. It is important to understand what motivates your child. For example, one child may desire time playing with a certain toy while another might be motivated by a trip to a favorite playground. If your child is older, you may want to consider having your child work towards a special reward, such as a trip to an amusement park.

Behavior Management Tips

Here are some ways you can help manage your child’s behavior:

Meltdowns and outbursts can occur anywhere. Educate your family, friends, and your child’s caretakers about your child’s condition and the benefits of positive reinforcement. Having more people who understand your child and the need for positive reinforcement can increase the support for your child and decrease tension during outbursts.

RESOURCES:

Healthy Children—American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.healthychildren.org

National Autism Association
http://nationalautismassociation.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Autism Canada
http://www.autismcanada.org

Autism Society Canada
http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca

REFERENCES:

National Autistic Society. Behaviour and discipline issues for children with autism. Super Nanny website. Available at: http://www.supernanny.co.uk/Advice/-/Health-and-Development/-/Special-Needs/Behaviour-and-Discipline-issues-for-children-with-Autistic-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx. Updated June 25, 2014. Accessed February 5, 2016.

What are the positive strategies for supporting behavior improvement? Autism Speaks website. Available at: http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/section_5.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed February 5, 2016.

Why is autism associated with aggressive and challenging behaviors? Autism Speaks website. Available at: http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/section_1.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed February 5, 2016.

Last reviewed February 2016 by Michael Woods, MD