Adolescence represents an inner emotional upheaval, a struggle between the eternal human wish to cling to the past and the equally powerful wish to get on with the future. – Louise J. Kaplan.

Adolescence is usually seen as a difficult stage for parents of teenage children. Parents find hard to accept the fact that their little kid who clung to them for every small need, suddenly desires to be alone or with his friends. However, what parents do not realize is that just like them, the children are also passing through a difficult stage. They are trying to deal with physical emotional and moral changes occurring to them and have started observing the world in a completely different way. It is also a time of confusion where at times they are treated like adults, while at the next moment like little kids by their parents. As adolescence is a period where children try to establish their identity, this can actually add to their dilemma. As adolescents begin to see everything in a new light, parents can observe certain behavioral changes in their child. Some of them are a part of normal adolescent behavior that diminishes when the teenager becomes an adult, however sometimes they can lead to more serious and dangerous problems which may affect their future lives. Let us explore adolescent behavior problems in detail. Read on peer pressure.

Normal Adolescent Behavior

Usually, adolescence is said to begin when the child turns thirteen years old. However, this is just a parameter set by humans and the physical as well as behavioral changes can begin from the age of 10 or 11 and sometimes even much before that. Many parents have said that their sons or daughter have started behaving like a teenager at the age of 11 itself. Though this is a matter of concern of the parents, this is actually quite normal. Though most people associate teenagers with rebelliousness, this is not a common symptom of adolescence. Not all teenagers become rebellious, but may show certain signs of it when their parents refuse what they want. However, one of the most common thing that is seen in all teenagers is the need for independence. They see their parent’s questions about what they are doing, where they are going, who are their friends, etc. as an hindrance to their privacy. Another parents may observe in their children an increased attachment to their peer groups. The child who would not leave the side of the parents, just few years back, becomes aloof and more closer to his/her friends. They may also be ready to do anything just to please their friends and to be part of the group. These are some of the behavioral changes that are seen in adolescence and can be dealt with proper support and care from the side of the parents. However, there are some grave issues or serious behavioral problems in adolescence that parents may have to deal with. Read on adolescent psychology and development.

Adolescent Behavior Disorders

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is one of the most common adolescent behavior problems that affects teenagers. This is a type of learning disorder characterized by poor attention span which affects the child’s academic performance. Along with learning problems, the teenager may also suffer from problems like hyperactivity, impulsive behaviors, etc. Such behaviors are sometimes seen as a part of adolescence behavior and many times are not taken seriously by the parents. However, there are ways in which parents can identify a child with ADHD. If the teenager is consistently scoring poor scores in his exam, the reason for this can be the above disorder. Also, adolescents who have this problem tend to be aggressive and may get involved in adolescent antisocial behaviors like shoplifting, drinking, smoking, etc. As they find it difficult to do well in school, there are high chances that they will drop out due to frustration and low self esteem. This can also lead them to risky behavior like smoking, drug abuse, alcohol addiction, etc. Read more on causes of teenage drinking and teenage smoking.

Adolescent Depression
Though depression during adolescence is quite normal, when it extends for a long time, it becomes problematic. Teenagers suffering from chronic depression may show signs like very low energy, insomnia, very less interaction with peers, no interest in activities that they used to like earlier, etc. It is important that parents recognize these signs as soon as possible because if it remains untreated, there are chances that they will develop suicidal tendencies. Know more about understanding the signs of teenage depression and causes of teenage suicide.

Oppositional Defiance Disorder
Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) is a behavioral problem characterized by hostility, defiance and opposition not only towards parents, but towards the world in general. They show adolescent aggressive behavior and also tend to blame others for the way they behave. Some other traits of a teenager who has ODD are very less or no control in anger, argumentative, unreasonable, pessimistic, bad temper, etc. It is said that this kind of behavior starts much before the child reaches adolescence i.e. at the age of 7 or 8. At first, the child will behave in this way only at home, however soon it will extend to the school and also towards his peer group.

Adolescent Eating Behavior/Disorders
Eating disorders is another common problem seen in teenagers, especially in girls. Teenagers love to indulge in fast foods which can lead to problems like teen obesity as well as improper nutrition. Other than these, there are two very severe problems related to eating which include anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is a condition which affects people who have very low self esteem. It comes from the urge to be perfect in all areas of life. This can be quite serious as they may not eat anything causing serious damages to the body and in some cases may even lead to death. On the other hand, bulimia is where a person indulges in binge eating, later feels guilty about it and hence throws away the food through self induced vomiting.

If you observe any adolescent behavior problems in your teenager, it is important that you take him/her to the psychiatrist or mental health practitioner as soon as possible. A good psychiatrist will try to find the root cause of the problem and help your child to overcome this behavioral problem. Apart from the treatment given by the specialist, it is crucial that you exhibit patience and give all your love and support to your child during these trying times.

While medication has long been used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder, Behavioral Therapy has proven to be incredibly effective as well and is now being used in combination with its long utilized counterpart. There are many aspects of Behavior Therapy, but the overall purpose is to train the individual to improve their behavior and be more effective.

There are basically three principles to a behavior therapy approach: set goals that are specific, provide consequences and rewards, and consistently utilize consequences and rewards. Basically, you should lay specific groundwork for acceptable and unacceptable behavior; when either is realized, the consequences, be them positive or negative, should be utilized consistently and continually.

Examples of consequences are time-out, which removes the child from their surroundings for a specific period of time; positive reinforcement, which rewards positive behavior; or a token reward system; which can be added to or taken away from depending on behavior.

There are more in-depth behavior modification techniques that should be utilized to help you child control their behavior. Remember, ADD children suffer from forgetfulness, inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and distractibility. Utilizing a system to reinforce the child’s ability to complete daily activities in spite of these shortcomings will be the most effective. For example, keeping your child on a schedule is a very effective way to keep their activities organized. If they wake up at a certain time, get dressed, take baths, do homework and go to bed at specific times, they will begin to function out of habit, at which point forgetfulness and distractibility become less of an issue.

Likewise, organization helps a child with ADD stay focused and reduces key items being misplaced. Have a set place for books, backpacks, clothes, and toys so your child will react out of habit in returning these items. Typically, routines prove to be an effective treatment course for children with ADD.

You should also be aware of the difficulties your child has, such as distractibility. Limit external stimuli during times when concentration is necessary, such as homework time, or during times when attention is necessary, such as mealtimes.

Help your child stay on task with the use of checklists, charts, or organizers to track responsibilities and monitor progress; as your child ages, this will teach them to function on a daily basis regardless of their disorder. They will learn to write down important tasks and to keep track of things they must accomplish.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

Whoever invented the longest name for a mental disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder maybe suffered from the condition himself and was not able to focus and was all over the place! Anyway now this condition is referred to as ADHD. That’s a relief. Now it has become a four letter word! Can ADHD behaviour therapy help?

ADHD behavior therapy together with medication is now recognized as the best way of treating ADHD . The great example is Michael Phelps who was diagnosed at the age of 9 years. He was put on medication but apparently that did not last long and then went on with ADHD behavior therapy.

As we are talking about Michael Phelps, it is interesting to note that the best sports for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children apparently are swimming, horse riding and martial arts. The latter is great for helping with focus and concentration which are two of the problems with ADHD children. They also learn to control their bodies and minds. So, whether you opt for ADHD behavioral therapy or not, keep in mind sports for kids is a great way to help with this condition. Buying an indoor jungle gym is a great way for hyperactive kids to let off steam and can be used in breaks from homework too.

ADHD behavioral therapy can help the parents with strategies in the following situations. The child is starting to lie and cheat and is also abusive towards his or her siblings. You can also learn about being a role model and the importance of practising what you preach. Children ape their parents in almost everything so if you never read a book and prefer to watch TV, then why should you be surprised to never find your child engrossed in a book ?

There are also great strategies to learn how to cope with a meltdown. You can learn about using the time-out technique and applying it to yourself when you are about to lose your self-control. If you despair of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications which are risky for your child’s health and have neglected considering how and why your parenting techniques are going to be crucial in your child’s development, then check out the links below. Learning and adopting ADHD behavioral therapy together with a natural cure for ADHD could be the best thing you ever did to treat your ADHD child.

Toddler’s can be delightful but they can also be extremely demanding and hard work. Toddlers behavior makes them feel and do lots of different illogical actions, Example: not want to be apart from their carers, want attention, are egocentric, active, impulsive and messy, constantly interrupt and show little respect, are stubborn and change their minds frequently, are sensitive to upset, excitement and tension, ask endless questions and may demoralise their parents but behave like angels for other people.

It is important to remember that this is also an exciting phase, as children develop physically, learn to think more logically and become more confident socially. They increasingly explore their surroundings, and learn though observation and interactions with their environment, social interactions and play. For this to happen, children of this age need plenty of stimulation such as:

Books and toys appropriate for their age; these need not be expensive –pots, pans and spoons can be much more exciting to a two year old than a designer toy.
A wide range of social contact with people of all ages, with the space, support and encouragement to develop mutually rewarding relationships.
Exposure to new and interesting opportunities and experiences at a pace that they can cope with: contact with animals, music, water, nature, painting, parties etc.

Play, reality and fantasy.

Children learn through play- it is the medium through which they develop socially, physically and academically, by the age of three years, they should have a fully developed sense of `make believe `.

This is how they learn to exercise their imagination and creativity as well as to understand day-to-day and potentially traumatic experiences, such as going to the doctors or moving house. Pretend play lets them be the `boss` and regain control in a world where they usually have relatively little control, helping them cope with stressful situations in their toddlers behavior .

Parents who try to play with their children often unwittingly take over and set all the rules ,sometimes insisting that the game be played according to `reality` principles , However, such principles may be unrealistic for a young child , and most children quickly get demoralised and give up in this situation , if you can support your child’s play through observation , attention and praise , without taking over , giving advice or competing , they will take great pride in showing you how clever they are . This will not only encourage them to learn but will build their self-esteem and enhance their relationship with you. If, you can help your child have more control over their fantasy world, your child will be more cooperative and compliant with you in the real world.

The ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy develops with age in toddlers behavior; Young children may have difficulty remembering which parts really happened and which was part of the game. Similarly many three year olds may have an imaginary friend.

When your child is playing, you don’t have to be involved closely all the time, Although they will thrive on your undivided attention, they will also benefit from supportive comments while you work alongside them. Children want you to observe their progress and achievements. Your words can be very powerful in either direction, so it pays to stop and think about what you say and your tone of voice before you speak praise goes a long way in building and developing a positive relationship and willing child.

Exploration and experimentation

Toddlers need plenty of stimulation so that they can learn and develop. Even if they have many exciting toys, their curiosity will draw them to less safe areas, such as inside cupboards, lose wires and interesting looking bottles. This is not naughtiness but curiosity, especially if it is not made clear to them what is allowed and what is not. Very young children will not respond to being told not to touch, you can make things easier for yourself by `child proofing` certain areas, so that you can relax and let children explore in safety.
From early on, children want to become independent and do things themselves. They learn by repetitive experiments, so your two year old child may enjoy knocking things off their high chair repetitively and watching you pick them up each time, for your child this is a lesson in cause and effect and helps them to learn to think logically, this is not naughtiness, but normal exploration. Even so you may understandably find this kind of thing irritating and parents vary as to how much of these activities they can tolerate.

It is perfectly appropriate for you to set limits so that your child learns that their behavior is not tolerated in certain setting. You can set aside special times and places for this game, and distract the child into some other activity when you have had enough.

Understanding

Children need to have things explained to them at their own level of toddlers behavior understanding and therefore it is important to check that any task that you set for your child is manageable and appropriate to the stage of development that they are at currently and that they understand what you expect of them. Often what appears to be disobediences is simple misunderstanding. Repeating the same command louder won’t work in this situation, You need to try another approach.

Young children usually think you mean exactly what you say, if you were to lose your temper and make and idle threat to send them to a children’s home for example they will remember it and believe it , even if you have no such intentions! Similarly young children may not have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong so, although it is appropriate to teach them this , shouting and punishing them for bad behavior , without clear explanation , will only bewilder and upset them .

Clinginess

Most toddlers behavior in a clingy way, They are not being this way to irritate you, but are showing you how much they love and need you. Behaving in this way actually makes good sense as toddlers need constant supervision while exploring their environment because they don’t know what is safe and what is not. You have to watch their every move constantly to prevent accidents. They should become less clingy by the time they start nursery, as they learn to distinguish for themselves what is and what is not safe.

Children may become attached to cuddly toys or soft blanket, using them as comforters when the person they love is not present. From the child’s point of view, these objects are as individual and unique as people , so if they have a tantrum about losing an old worn out toy, offering to buy a new one will not be the same , if the toy can’t be found , you will need to comfort your child over the loss, rather than simply telling them not to be silly .

It is normal for toddlers to be fearful of new situations but excessive clinginess may be related to you being temporarily physically or emotionally unavailable to your child, for instance, because of hospitalisation, long working hours or depression, they maybe worried that you may have abandon them and may become more clingy as a result, if so shouting at them for behaving this away will only make matters worse. You are more likely to get results if you work on your relationship with your child, reassuring them that you love them and will not abandon them, and arrange for them to spend more time in the care of a trusted friend or relative. Giving them regular one to one time will help, even if brief, for example, a quick story before bedtime.

So sensitive parenting is a key to developing your toddlers behavior as you can have a close and trusting relationship is which you have a huge amount of power and influence as a parent that can help create resilience in your child whatever your current situation.

When a child displays a pattern of hostile and aggressive behavior for a period of more than 6 months, it can be termed as child behavior disorders. The behavior of your child is noticeably different from the expected behavior in the society and at home. It is very difficult to diagnose and understand child behavior disorder, since there are no physical symptoms of the disorder. Therefore the behavioral pattern of the child has to be observed consistently for a certain period of time.

Kinds of Child Behavior Disorders
There are different kinds of child behavior disorders, although these can be observed for the same person at different point of time. The kinds are:
Conduct Disorders
Emotional Disorders
Emotional Disturbances
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
Conduct disorder is actually a combination of group of behavioral and emotional problems in the children. The behavior of children with conduct disorders is often not acceptable socially. These children are labeled as delinquents.

Children with oppositional defiant disorder tend to have short tempers and argue with others very quickly. Usually they display vindictive behavior and can seem to be very aggressive. Often it is very difficult to deal with such children.

Usually children who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder have repeated and persistent thoughts and this causes severe discomfort to the children themselves. The examples are, some children feel that there are monsters everywhere, or some children keep washing their hands often, etc.

The common characteristic of bipolar disorder is moody behavior of the child. The child has his own share of highs and lows. At times the child excessively indulges in pleasurable activities and at others he displays signs of lethargy, irritability, etc.

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is when the attention span of the child is very low. These children are very often inattentive and cannot sit at a single place for a long period of time. Behavior of such children is also very impulsive, distracted and forgetful.

Symptoms of Child Behavior Disorders
If a child displays some of the below mentioned symptoms, the child can have childhood behavior disorder.
One of the common symptoms of children behavior disorders is destruction of property. The child can resort to defacing home and school, write graffiti or vandalism, etc.
A child with behavior disorders can be very aggressive to humans and animals alike. Some people label such a child as wicked and cruel.
Children with children behavior disorders do not show any empathy and concern to human beings or animals. They have no feeling when others are in pain. At the same time they have no remorse if they have been unkind in their behavior towards others.
Children with behavioral problems have disregard for rules and regulations. Very often than not they are openly defiant of the rules.
If you notice that your child lies to you, cheats or steals things, then it is important that you monitor your child’s behavior. Such a child will also not take any responsibility towards his behavior and continue to behave as though he was doing the right thing.
The child looks for retribution, when he thinks he was meted out unjust treatment.
Understanding Child Behavior Disorders
There are various reasons which can cause childhood behavior disorders. They are:
Brain injury can cause a change in the child’s behavior leading to a behavioral disorder.
Very often child abuse, physical or sexual, leads to the child suffering from behavioral disorders.
Dysfunctional family or mental trauma of any kind can also give rise to behavioral disorder.
Child behavior disorders can also be due to genetic disorders.
Behavior therapy and psychotherapy are normally used to treat child behavior disorders. However, it is important to diagnose the exact problem with the child. At the same time, parents also should not have unreasonable demands from their child. The emotional health of any human being is important for the person to display sane and rational behavior. So take care of your child’s emotional health, so that he displays socially acceptable behavior.

Whoever invented the longest name for a mental disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder maybe suffered from the condition himself and was not able to focus and was all over the place! Anyway now this condition is referred to as ADHD. That’s a relief. Now it has become a four letter word! Can ADHD behaviour therapy help?

ADHD behavior therapy together with medication is now recognized as the best way of treating ADHD . The great example is Michael Phelps who was diagnosed at the age of 9 years. He was put on medication but apparently that did not last long and then went on with ADHD behavior therapy.

As we are talking about Michael Phelps, it is interesting to note that the best sports for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children apparently are swimming, horse riding and martial arts. The latter is great for helping with focus and concentration which are two of the problems with ADHD children. They also learn to control their bodies and minds. So, whether you opt for ADHD behavioral therapy or not, keep in mind sports for kids is a great way to help with this condition. Buying an indoor jungle gym is a great way for hyperactive kids to let off steam and can be used in breaks from homework too.

ADHD behavioral therapy can help the parents with strategies in the following situations. The child is starting to lie and cheat and is also abusive towards his or her siblings. You can also learn about being a role model and the importance of practising what you preach. Children ape their parents in almost everything so if you never read a book and prefer to watch TV, then why should you be surprised to never find your child engrossed in a book ?

There are also great strategies to learn how to cope with a meltdown. You can learn about using the time-out technique and applying it to yourself when you are about to lose your self-control. If you despair of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications which are risky for your child’s health and have neglected considering how and why your parenting techniques are going to be crucial in your child’s development, then check out the links below. Learning and adopting ADHD behavioral therapy together with a natural cure for ADHD could be the best thing you ever did to treat your ADHD child.

The characteristics of Autism are not fixed. They vary from one child to another. Each autistic child is unique and his symptoms will rarely match with another autistic child. In addition, there are mild and severe forms of autism. One child might act completely normal at home and school, but have a little bit of social discomfort when interacting with people or might have some extreme preference. This is a mild form of autism. On the severe side you might find children who have no communication skills at all. They are completely unable to interact in social settings.

In order to find out if a child has Autism, it takes a lot of medical tests and visits to lots medical professionals. However, you can go through the list below and determine if your child has any of the mentioned symptoms. If the child has any of the symptoms it does not necessarily mean he has Autism. It only means the child requires further evaluation. The symptoms to look for are:

-They don’t reach developmental milestones on time. Autistic children learn to crawl or walk or talk much later than a normal child.
-They do make eye contact: Usually, a normal child will look at the person speaking to him. This is not the case with autistic child; they do not make eye contact with the person who is speaking to them.
-No communication: Children suffering from autism hardly speak anything whether it is sounds or words.
-No emotion: Autistic children show little or no emotion. These can be smiling back or showing care when some other child is hurt or crying.
-They do not pretend play.
-They use repetitive movement. They tend to do things over and over again.
-They are very resistive to schedule changes. They have a hard time accepting changes in general.
-They do not respond to anyone speaking to them, whether by looking or with words.
-They lose new skills that they recently learned, like learning how to say new words or do some new actions.
-They develop some strong liking to certain food or smell.

If you find any of these symptoms in your child, then it is high time you take him to a doctor for a medical evaluation. There is nothing to worry too much. Some normal children also have some of these symptoms in mild form initially but these symptoms disappear over time.

If you have worries about your kid’s development talk to a health professional. They will tell you whether further examining must be considered or not. Many parents attempt to self diagnose their children. This could be a huge error. It needs many a certified medical professionals to diagnose a child with Autism. This would not be finished with a single appointment at the pediatrician. You must have a team of health care providers assessing your child. The sooner you get your child examined the better the chances of obtaining treatment for helping the child.

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