October 22, 2020 How to manage temper tantrums in a child with ASD
Posted at 18:23h
in Uncategorized
Tantrums are common among ASD children as either a reaction to a sensory stimulus (bright colours, noise etc) or frustration resulting from not able to communicate or achieve a desired behavior. It is a challenge for the caregivers of these children on the ASD spectrum to manage these tantrums especially in public spaces.
Tantrums can take form of yelling, flexing of the body or even throwing oneself to the ground in rage.
Tips to manage temper tantrums –
- Offer neither negative nor positive reinforcement but stay calm yourself. You can count till the time the tantrum passes away and then train the child to ask what he wants in an appropriate manner.
- Ignore the tantrum if the child is seeking attention. Intervene only when there is harm of any kind involved.
- Understand the exact sensory stimulus that causes the exaggerated reaction in the ASD children and try to prevent it as much as possible.
REFERENCES
- Advanced Psychology. How To Control Temper Tantrums In Children With Autism? Nov 2014. Available at –https://www.psy-ed.com/wpblog/how-to-control-temper-tantrums-in-children-with-autism/