Behavioral Challenges
in Baton Rouge, LA
Ask any parent, and they’ll tell you that navigating childhood behavioral challenges is part and parcel of the job. But sometimes these challenges go beyond your child feeling cranky because they missed nap time or learning how to bend the rules to get away with something. If your child tends to lash out angrily at others, seems excessively anxious, or struggles to regulate their emotions to communicate what they need, these may be signs of a developmental delay or similar condition. Keep reading to learn more about what causes behavioral challenges and how our experts at Dynamic Therapy Specialists can help your child.
What Causes Behavioral Challenges?
In many cases, behavioral challenges such as aggression or anxiety stem from the activation of a child’s fight or flight system. This system, also known as the sympathetic nervous system, is designed to aid in protection and survival. However, when it becomes activated in situations where there is no immediate danger, it can lead to behavioral difficulties.
Children with sensory processing disorder may experience an excessive fight or flight response due to the way their brain and body interact. Sensory processing difficulties can cause an overload of sensory information, triggering a heightened stress response and contributing to behavioral challenges.
Common Signs of Behavioral Challenges
It’s important to recognize the signs of behavioral challenges early for proper intervention and support from our expert pediatric therapist. Common signs of behavioral challenges caused by an overactive fight or flight response can include:
- Trouble regulating emotions, such as frequent outbursts or meltdowns
- Difficulty paying attention and staying focused on tasks
- Impulsiveness or difficulty controlling impulses
- Anger, aggression, or defiance
- Anxiety or excessive worry
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- Difficulty sitting still
- Dislike of changes in routines or environments
- Trouble with getting regular sleep
- Accidental or intentional self-injury
How We Address Behavioral Challenges
At Dynamic Therapy Specialists, we take a holistic approach to pediatric therapy. Rather than simply teaching children how to compensate for the skills they struggle with, we take a bottom-up approach by focusing on remediation first. In the case of behavior, we don’t simply teach a child how to behave—we uncover what is causing their behavioral challenges and address that first. By evaluating the foundational areas of your child’s development, we can identify and address the root causes of their challenges. Once those root causes of stress are handled, behavioral regulation can follow more easily.
Think of it this way: you have to learn to walk before you can learn to run. It’s not that you can’t learn how to run, but if you never learned how to walk first, you’ll be missing the basics that you need to support learning how to run. By prioritizing skill remediation over compensation, we empower children to build a strong foundation for future growth and development.
Schedule an Evaluation Today
f your child is struggling with behavioral challenges, our team at Dynamic Therapy Specialists will go above and beyond to help. Call us at (225) 767-5032 to schedule an evaluation, and let’s work together to improve your child’s quality of life.