8 Difficult Autistic Behaviors (And Why They Happen)

by Kristyn Crow | More from this Blogger

02 Jan 2007 11:36 AM

Children with autism have numerous challenging behaviors for parents to deal with. Sometimes the behaviors seem to make no sense whatsoever. The child might seem unreachable, temperamental, and impossible to deal with. However, when we take a look at the underlying deficits that contribute to the problems, we can gain a better understanding. And with a little understanding, we are better equipped to find ways to help. The following is a list of eight typical behaviors of an autistic child, and their likely causes. This is not an exhaustive list of all autism symptoms, and some autistic children will only exhibit a few of the behaviors. For a basic diagnostic description of autism spectrum disorders, click here.

1. Sleeping problems.

• Parental complaints: The child will not go to bed, won't stay in bed, wakes up during the night, suffers from night terrors, and wanders the house.

• Possible underlying causes: Hypersensitivity to noise and the feel of the bedding, circadian rhythms are disrupted, the child has hyperactivity, is resistant to changes in routine.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  Is Your Child's Sleep Pattern on Track?

  Night Terrors: How to Help Your Child

  When Your Child Won't Go to Sleep

2. Poor Social Skills.

• Parental Complaints: The child cannot find ways to amuse himself, or does the same meaningless behaviors repeatedly, won't play with other children, breaks toys, and is self-absorbed.

• Possible underlying causes: Lacks imaginary play skills, has inadequate language, needs repetitive actions to comfort himself, cannot comprehend the feelings of others.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  "Mommy, Tell Me a Social Story!"

  "My Turn! Your Turn!"

  "The Eyes Have It." How Eye-Contact Can Transform Your Child

  FLOOR TIME: Be Your Child's Own Personal Play Therapist!

  Promoting Communication in Your Non-Verbal Child

  Play Dates Can Benefit Your Special Needs Child

3. Toileting Problems.

• Parental Complaints: The child soils and wets himself, eliminates in the wrong place, smears feces, etc.

• Possible underlying causes: Has confused body signals, is easily distracted, cannot cognitively organize a toileting sequence.

• Check this blog for tips:

  Six Steps to Potty Train Your Special Needs Child

4. Discipline Problems.

• Parental Complaints: The child won't follow rules, doesn't respond to discipline, and is difficult to control.

• Possible underlying causes: Receptive language is impaired, needs absolute consistency in discipline or becomes confused, needs discipline simplified for it to make sense.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  How to Use the Naughty Stool and Make it Your Friend

  The Magic Train Book: How I Motivated My Autistic Son to Sit Quietly in Church

  Help Your Child to Be More Cooperative

  Discipline and the Special Needs Child: An Act of Love

5. Aggression.

• Parental Complaints: The child hits, pushes, spits, throws things, bites, and is mean to other children or adults.

• Possible underlying causes: Unaware of the feelings of self or others, has sensory misperceptions, extreme frustration over communication problems, poor social judgement.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  "Why is My Child Doing THAT?" Understanding Misbehavior

  When Your Child Wants Revenge

  "You're In Big Trouble!" When Your Special Needs Child Breaks a School Rule

6. Eating problems.

• Parental Complaints: The child will not chew his food, refuses most foods, eats non-food items, has rigid preferences.

• Possible underlying causes: Impaired sensory-taste, impaired hunger drive, poor food recognition, resists change, lacks muscle control with tongue or mouth.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  Fun With Foods for Sensory Integration Dysfunction

  Solve Your Child's Eating Problems

7. Tantrums.

• Parental Complaints: The child screams without cause, destroys things, bites, is self-injurious, cannot be taken out in public without a scene.

• Possible underlying causes: Can't communicate his needs, is overwhelmed by sensory experiences, hypersensitive to parental responses, etc.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  When Your Child Throws a Tantrum in Public: 4 Steps to Regain Control

  Adapting Your Home Environment to Minimize Behavior Problems

8. Repetitive Behaviors.

• Parental Complaints: The child fiddles with strange objects, stares into space, rocks, flaps hands or twists wrists, jumps, spins or slams things, bangs head.

• Possible underlying causes: Is overwhelmed by sensory input, needs repetitive behaviors to comfort himself, is unaware of where his body is in space, etc.

• Check these blogs for tips:

  What is Your Child's Sensitivity Profile?

  Where Is My Body In Space? Proprioceptive Dysfunction

  Perseveration...Perseveration...Perseveration

  Flapping, Spinning, Waving, Whirling...The Child with Irregular Motor Behavior

Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.

Learn more about Kristyn Crow

Kristyn Crow is the mother of seven children, and the author of three children's books. Visit her website at www.kristyncrow.com.

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