Where can I find support for my child's challenging behaviors?

If your child is having challenging behaviors at school, one of the first sources of potential support is to ask your team for a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), which will look at the function of your child's behavior. Dr. Davis Stein says, "When you're in the moment and when you're frustrated and your child is acting out, it often feels like there is no function to the behavior, it feels as if the function of the behavior is to just frustrate you, or drive you crazy. And that's not the case. Behaviors are a form of communication. They do have a function. And when you can think that way, you can be logical. It helps you understand how to intervene and what to do."

After the assessment, you will meet with your IEP team to go over the results and see what suggestions from the behavior professional should be implemented into your child's IEP in the form of a behavior intervention plan (BIP).

If your child's challenging behaviors are happening at home, behavior intervention therapies held either at a clinic or in your home can provide strategies to help you and your child. Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is a common therapy covered by insurance, but other alternatives are available and may be funded by insurance. For more information, see our article Common Behavioral Interventions and Therapies (and How to Fund Them).