A child is acting aggressively when they engage in threatening behaviors that could harm themselves, others, or property. Many children with autism act aggressively toward others, but aggression itself is not a symptom of autism. In some situations, aggression may be an indication of frustration related to social and communication difficulties. Children with autism often have trouble understanding what’s happening around them and have difficulty expressing their needs and wants.
Aggression can be verbal or physical. For example, a child may:
- Threaten or curse at another person
- Hit or bite themselves or someone else
- Throw objects at another person
- Throw extreme tantrums
These behaviors affect a child’s happiness and wellbeing and weigh heavily on families. Thankfully, treatment is available to help children manage their aggressive behavior and alleviate their anger, frustration, and communication difficulties.
BlueSprig offers treatment and therapy for typical aggression at our centers across 19 states. To learn more about our individualized programs and autism aggressive behavior strategies, contact your local BlueSprig center.
Understanding Aggression in Children With Autism
Just as every child on the spectrum is unique, the reasons for aggression in children with autism can vary between children and even vary day-to-day for a child. This is not a comprehensive list, but these factors may result in aggressive behavior in children with autism.
Communication difficulties
If you suspect your child’s aggressive behavior may be related to frustration with communication, there are several solutions available that may help. You might introduce a nonverbal system of communication, such as an iPad or other device, to help your child communicate their emotions or discomfort. To avoid damage to communication devices, it is often advisable to present the device when the individual is starting to calm down and receptive to the alternative method of communication.
Medical Issues
Sometimes, aggression in children with autism can be due to an underlying health condition like cavities or ear infections. For example, if your child is constantly biting or spitting, they may feel pain in their mouth that should be checked out by a doctor. If your child keeps hitting their head against the wall, they may have severe ear pain requiring medical attention.
Sleep problems
Sleep disturbances, namely insomnia, are common in children with autism. When a child sleeps poorly night after night, they are more likely to experience intensified autism symptoms including severe social impairment, which can create even more frustration and lead to aggressive behavior.
Cognitive inflexibility
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift mental focus from one thought to another. Cognitive inflexibility (getting stuck on one thought or related thoughts) is common among children with autism. It can cause aggressive behavior when a child talks or thinks about the same negative thing over and over again and/or is stopped from engaging in the repetitive behavior.
Social anxiety
Children with autism may exhibit aggression if they feel anxious about something they can’t or don’t know how to communicate. Social interactions at home or in school can potentially trigger aggression.
Of course, if your child exhibits ongoing aggressive behavior (with or without an autism diagnosis), speak with a doctor. There may be an underlying mental health issue that should be promptly dealt with.
Dealing With Aggressive Behavior at Home
BlueSprig offers treatment at our therapy centers, but it’s important that children receive support at home, too. One of the best ways to support your child with autism is to appropriately deal with their aggressive behaviors.
You can’t prevent every outburst, but you can mitigate some of your child’s aggression by:
Staying calm
It is natural to become emotional when your child is engaging in aggressive behavior. However, it is important, for both you and your child and other family members who may be present, to remain calm. Take a few deep breaths, give yourself a moment to think before you respond, and slow down your physical and verbal responses to help keep you and your child calm.
Watching your words and tone of voice
Another common impulse is to speak loudly or quickly when things seem out of control. However, this could cause greater upset; a child who is highly stressed may not understand what you are saying in the moment. It’s best to speak as little as possible and in a quiet voice.
Moving your child to a safe place
If possible, move your child to a safe place. Try to find a quiet space for your child, preferably without overly stimulating objects or technology. If this cannot be done safely, keep your child where they are, but remove people and objects that may create a safety issue. For example, if you have other children, you should take them out of the room. You should also remove any objects that could cause injury, such as glass or a heavy vase.
If pacing, jumping, or another physical activity calms them down, make sure they have enough space to do so.
Learn More Autism Aggression Strategies with BlueSprig
If you’re the parent of a child with autism, aggressive behavior can be scary to witness.
The good news is that compassionate, effective treatment is available. BlueSprig specializes in addressing and reducing problem behavior in children with autism.
Our board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) work closely with each child to teach safer, more appropriate ways to express their thoughts and feelings. We also work with parents to teach them safe, helpful strategies to implement at home. For more information about the programs we offer at our centers, contact your local BlueSprig center.