It is completely normal for a child to have behavioral problems every now and then. Just like adults, children can be moody, difficult, and even angry at times. But when does this behavior cross the line of “normal” and become a cause for concern for parents and family members? It is important to first know the difference between behavioral disorders and normal, expected kid behavior and then make a plan for how to proceed forward to help your child.
Types of Behavioral Disorders
There are a variety of disorders that fall under the umbrella of behavioral disorders, each which will contain their own list of disorders. The types of behavioral disorders, along with some examples, are:
Anxiety Disorders: Such as acute stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Disruptive Behavior Disorders: Such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorders (not the same as ADHD)
Dissociative Disorders: Such as dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder
Pervasive Development Disorders: Such as autism spectrum disorders and Asperger’s syndrome
Symptoms of Behavioral Disorders
Most commonly, parents will notice behavior issues with their children gradually rather than a sudden onset. Because of this, and an unwillingness to admit there may be an issue outside of their control, some parents do not believe their child’s behavior is anything outside the ordinary. If you believe your child may have a behavioral disorder, keep a close eye on their symptoms. Some common symptoms of children with behavioral disorders include:
- Easily annoyed or constantly nervous.
- Often angry and even hostile – All children have moments of anger but if your child is angry most of the time, this is cause for concern.
- Dangerous to self or others – If their anger is causing them to be violent or cause harm to themselves (such as head banging), this is not normal behavior.
- Damaging Property – The destruction of property on a regular basis is not normal or acceptable behavior for children (or adults for that matter).
- Arguing and Throwing Temper Tantrums: While children often throw tantrums at young ages, if these tantrums continue into older ages when they should have grown out of it, this could be an indicator of a deeper problem.
- Puts blame on others.
- Refuses to follow rules or constantly questions authority – Children will not always want to do what they are told but there is a difference between being on the obedience learning curve and blatant disobedience.
When to Seek an Evaluation
There are many reasons children act out, both normally and with behavioral disorders. If there are many changes happening in their family life, changes in their social environment, problems at school, or even when physical changes are happening, behavior can vary and can even be indicative of more serious issues. If you have noticed some of the above symptoms taking place, consider the following to decide if you need to seek a professional evaluation.
Duration: Does it seem like this is normal behavior they will grow out of or does it continue with no apparent end?
Intensity: Is your child experiencing extreme emotions, such as feelings of despair or hopelessness? Are they no longer showing interest in activities and people they used to enjoy? Are they being destructive in any way?
Age: As stated above, a tantrum a toddler may throw would not be appropriate for an elementary age child. While not all children follow exactly the same guidelines for age appropriate development, watch for extreme deviations from the norm.
Taking Action
After having done the proper research and observations, you may come to the conclusion your child may have a behavioral disorder. If this is the case, seek professional help, such as with your child’s pediatrician or a child psychologist. They will best be able to properly evaluate the situation and give you and your child the best tools to help your family improve the behavior.
You may also come to the conclusion your child’s behavior is normal for their age and situation in life. In this instance, it may be necessary to establish more discipline in their life to help create more order. Sit down with your child and together discuss expected standards for proper behavior and consequences for when these expectations are not met. Make sure you follow through and enforce these expectations.
It may be difficult to tell if your child’s behavior is normal or if there may be a behavioral disorder at play. Patiently do your research and evaluation and do not hesitate to seek professional help. Helping your child will always be worth the effort.
This Guest Post was provided by Author: Alyssa Craig
This is great advice. My son has a habit of being somewhat destructive, but he’s 3 and this is typical for his age. Hopefully he will outgrow it soon. So far the only real problems he’s been diagnosed with are his eczema, which flares up at times, and a receptive-expressive speech disorder, which with pre-school, speech therapy, and my own guidance, is improving every single day! The past couple of days he has gotten ahold of a couple of movie jackets and torn the covers off of them before I could stop him, and when he was a bit younger he would tear his books, and he’s been known to occasionally do this with other things as well, but in general he’s extremely well behaved. Like any 3-year-old, he has the occasional tantrum, but they’re getting less frequent and less intense and he’s starting to be very polite and respectful, with only a few exceptions. One thing I would highly advise, the same advice I gave on my own post about medicating children with ADHD, is to be very leery of a doctor whose first recommendation is drugs. If you do have a kid with a behavioral disorder, try environmental changes, behavioral therapy, and other similar treatments before any form of medication. Most kids don’t need it, it can be very dangerous, and should be considered an absolute last resort in my opinion.