Managing Behaviour
FASD Behaviours
- Children with FASD have permanent brain damage. This can lead to difficult behaviour including temper tantrums, hyperactivity, or difficulty paying attention.
- It’s important to remember that your child can’t “grow out of” the brain damage, but he or she can learn to cope with the condition.
- The most successful parenting techniques focus on addressing things that parents actually can change: learn to accommodate your child’s behaviour, instead of trying to change it.
Strategies
- Reward good behaviour: Praise your child for achievements. Give rewards immediately and explain why your child is receiving a reward.
- Look for strengths: Emphasize your child’s strengths and abilities as often as you can.
- Use a safe place: Give your child a place to calm down, express anger or frustration where he is not penalized for acting out. Create a phrase to cue your child to use this space, e.g., “Take space”.
- Be consistent: Use firm limits and clear consequences for all misbehaviour.
- Use simple rules: Rules should state the behaviour you want to see, e.g., “Keep hands to self” rather than “Don’t touch”.
For a printable tip sheet of this information, click here.