Behavioral Concerns

 Back to:  Therapist Questions & Answers - Behavior Concerns

My grandson is a loving little boy 2 years old and will be 3 in October but he flips out when he can't cope, bangs his head on the floor, smacks himself, spits and continually cries like no other for a good 30 to 40 minutes, and then with a flip of the switch, he becomes quiet.  He will then say ok Mom Mom, can we watch a movie now?

Please note this is my grandson, and he clings to his mom, but when she leaves the house, he flips out and starts the banging of his head and I have a ceramic tile floor. When my husband leaves, it's the same thing. If he wants something and we talk to him to see what he wants, he cries and yells and starts to spit if he is very angry. He will scream and sometimes will say go away. Help!

It sounds like you have definite concerns about your grandson's behaviors. Behavior (social/emotional) support is available through Early Intervention and since your grandson is not yet 3, I would definitely call your local provider as soon as possible and request an evaluation using the TABS (Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale) Test. An assessment can determine if your grandson's behaviors are interfering with his learning, what may be contributing to his behavior and if he qualifies someone can work with him at home to channel his outbursts into more appropriate behavior. Most children at this age do certain behaviors because they get attention from them, and whether the attention is positive or negative does not matter. I would keep a little notebook for about a week or so detailing what happened right before the behavior, what the behavior was (spitting, screaming, etc) and what happened directly after the behavior. The only way to stop a behavior is to find out why it is occurring in the first place. This information will also be helpful to a therapy team if you decided to have an EI evaluation. You can read about behavior on our website at these links:

• Behavior
• Negative feelings
• Changing behavior
• Positive reinforcement
• Self-regulation

Here is contact information for your local Allentown Early Intervention Service Provider (services are free).

Back to:  Therapist Questions & Answers - Behavior Concerns

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