Science Education News (SEN) Journal 2018 Science Education News Volume 67 Number 2 | Page 53

ARTICLES Acting out their Age, or Something Worse? Dealing with Difficult Behaviour in Children By Katrina Barker, Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology, Western Sydney University Where can parents go for help? At some stage in every child’s life they will exhibit defiant, impulsive or even disobedient behaviours. A lot of this is normal, but when behaviour disrupts a child’s everyday functioning, it becomes abnormal, and parents should seek professional advice. Parents can make a difference by using evidence-based strategies to encourage positive behaviours. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming when seeking support for severe and persistent disruptive behaviour. Avoid “Dr. Google” or websites claiming to provide symptom checkers, as they can give alarmist findings. You should read and learn more about the various behavioural disorders to become informed, but always make sure you’re using reputable sources. These include beyondblue, Reach Out, Headspace, KidsMatter and MindMatters. When does ‘normal’ behavio ur become abnormal behaviour? For almost one in seven Australians aged four to 17 years, the occurrence of disruptive behaviour is significant in nature, persists over time and tends to mismatch with their developmental stage. Some of the resources teacher educators refer to can be useful, such as Response Ability, which provides fact sheets and podcasts on various behavioural disorders. Signs the behaviours are more severe include if it impacts on the child’s functioning at school or with family and friends, and if it causes the child personal distress. These indicate the behaviour needs deeper investigation and the support of a specialised professional as early as possible. If you’re still concerned after doing some reading, a visit to the GP is a good starting point. The GP can provide an initial assessment, and refer the child and family to other professionals if additional assessment, treatment and support are necessary. There is disagreement about whether preschool-aged children can or should be diagnosed with disorders, given the vast range of behaviour considered “normal” at this age. Most disorders tend to be diagnosed in school aged children, generally aged 10-14 years. Access to specialists, such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist, requires a GP’s referral. Referrals are not required to visit a psychologist, but it’s best to visit the GP initially to help determine whether this is necessary. The GP can also refer to someone they highly recommend. 53 SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 2