Crisis Compass

When tantrums occur, the root cause can usually be found in one or two of the categories in the crisis compass.  Identifying the category can help you in deescalating the situation or finding someone who can help.   Here is a general overview of the categories.

       Sensory Issues

       We all perceive and learn about our environment with our senses.   We learn about our world through touch, taste, sight, sound, smell, and movement.  If we over perceive or under perceive what is going on in the outside world, life can be confusing.  If a child over- perceives touch for example, a loving touch can feel painful to them.  I speak from experience that as a parent this it is very difficult to have your child push you away screaming as you are trying to hold them or give them a hug to comfort them.  Children that have difficulty with sensory processing can appear to be clumsy, unable of keeping appropriate distance from others, or accident-prone.  Difficulty processing sounds can be seen with kids that are unable to tolerate loud sounds like the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower.  Some children have difficulty with food textures, and will limit their food to only one texture.  There are many ways that sensory issues can present themselves, but the bottom line is that if your child’s difficulty processing sensory information is resulting in behaviors, then sensory strategies will be needed not only to help your child stop screaming, but in also making them feel safe in this world so they will not “feel” like screaming.  An occupational therapist can help guide you in this area.

      Communication Issues

       Is your child having a tantrum because they are trying to communicate their wants and needs, but are having difficulty doing this effectively?  When we started seeing these tantrums, I rejoiced because they were finally trying to interact with us.  There are many communication strategies that can be utilized from using simple pictures to high tech communication devices and everything in between.  It is important to identify communication issues as these tantrums usually escalate as the frustration increases.  A speech-language pathologist can help guide you in this area. 

     Normal Developmental Milestones

         I can’t tell you how many frantic parents I have heard from that are upset about a current behavior, only to realize that they are describing a normal stage of development.  A child asserting their will to obtain a level of independence is present in normal development.  The difficulty is however that our child may be older than the typical age for this milestone, and it may last much longer.Alec was far beyond two years old when we experienced the “terrible twos,” and I have to admit that when we entered this stage I viewed it as a regression.  When I took the time to sit down and breathe…and look at it without panic . . . I could see the behaviors for what they were.  Now you might ask:  “What do you do to get them to stop?”  Well my simple answer is:  parent!  If it is a normal developmental milestone then often it is helpful to look at what you would do with a typical kid going through the same stage.  When Alec was going through the “terrible twos”, he got to know about consequences for his actions . . . just like he would have if he had actually been two and going through it.  The consequences may have been different because of his age, but what we needed to teach him was that he could not always have his way, and that bad behavior results in an undesirable consequence . . . in other words: parenting.

    Behavioral Issues

      Some behaviors do not appear to fall into the other categories listedand may be too difficult for you to handle alone.  If that is the case, it may be time for a behaviorist. Behaviors can be tracked and strategies can be implemented to assist you in getting these behaviors under control. Often times, behavioral programs are already in place, and mentioning these behaviors to your consultant can help them in developing a plan for your child.

The one thing that I do want to stress is that if you have a professional assisting you in one of the areas listed above, it does not mean that you are no longer responsible for your child in that area.If you have an occupational therapist, speech therapist, or behaviorist on your team, it is important to know what they are working on so that you can be consistent in your home environment.