Seven Hidden Triggers Behind Challenging Behavior in Children with Autism (Episode 327)

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Discussed in this Episode:

✅  The Thursday Morning Detective Work: Track patterns in challenging behavior by day/time. The example of a student who had meltdowns every Thursday morning traced back to swimming lessons on Wednesday night causing late bedtime, poor sleep, and skipped breakfast.

✅  The Two-Question Anxiety Strategy: When a child expresses fear, ask: “What is the probability of this bad thing happening?” and “Am I overestimating the severity?” Use real data to help children think through worries logically.

✅  Self-Recording for Routine Reminders: Have students record audio messages to themselves on their phones, reminding them of new routines and strategies for challenging situations (like navigating locker areas).

✅  The “Then vs. Now” Trauma Processing Technique: When children bring up past incidents, acknowledge what happened, then help them see the present: “That happened then. Are you safe now? Look at the friends you have now.”

✅  Chronological Timeline Writing: Have students write out a timeline of difficult events, then discuss how circumstances have changed (“In year 2 we struggled with friendships, but now in year 10, look who we’ve got”).

✅  Observing the Sensory Environment: Before addressing behavior, assess whether the environment is overwhelming (too loud, too crowded) or understimulating (boring, passive listening). Adjust accordingly.

✅  Respecting Special Interests as Meditation: Allow daily time for children’s passionate interests (like anime) as a legitimate calming strategy that recharges their batteries for facing daily challenges.

✅  Using the Seven Trigger Categories as a Checklist: When behavior occurs, systematically check: internal issues (tired/hungry/pain), sensory issues, demands/anxiety, disappointment, threats to self-esteem, unmet attention needs, and past trauma.

✅  Self-Modeling Video Technique: Record students performing expected behaviors, edit out problematic moments, and have them watch the successful version before challenging situations.

✅  Journaling for Emotional Processing: Encourage written or audio journaling to help students process emotions and gain perspective rather than being “hostage to the emotion.”