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.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 67 NO 2