Responses to the Behaviors of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
Reprinted from: www.angelfire.com/biz2/earlyint/early10.html

Behavior: Person does not move when asked to do something.

Common Responses: Person is non-compliant and stubborn. Person does things only when she/he wants to. Person wants attention.

Autism Interpretation: The person may not know what is going to happen next, may not have processed the information or may have a delay in processing. The person may not be able to shift attention to the new stimuli, or may not be able to start the motor response. The person may also want to have more choice of when he does things and fewer directives. The person may be expressing refusal and the reason for the refusal must be investigated.

Helpful Responses:

• Allowing processing time. Provide touch cues and or gestures.
• Teach ways to indicate refusal more directly.
• Provide visual schedules to let the person know the order of events.
• Provide visual choices for order of activities, reinforcers and other things about which the person can make decisions.
• Cue the person with objects, gestures, pictures, and written messages, rather than, repetitive and or long verbal messages.
• Do more activities with the person, less directing.
• Cut down on verbal instructions; model and participate more with the person.

Behavior: Person becomes agitated when corrected or when she feels she has made a mistake.

Common Responses: Person is uncooperative, belligerent, and oppositional. Person is too sensitive and difficult to work with; has no manners.

Autism Interpretation: The person is trying to do things the way he or she perceives they
need to be done. Correction is often given in the negative and does not let the person know what to do to correct the situation. Sometimes the person perceives the need to have everything in the environment or the task in a certain order and changing it creates anxiety.

Helpful Responses:

• Anticipate as much as possible and give information beforehand in visual, concrete form " to help the person succeed.
• Provide positive feedback for correct steps.
• Provide visual information about how to identify and correct a mistake through written pictured diagram, or modeled form, moving toward self-monitoring.
• Present corrections in a non-threatening, neutral tone and provide choices for correction or for starting over. Reassure the person that everyone makes mistakes, even pointing out your own.

Behavior: Person has a narrow range of emotions, demonstrates few examples of empathy and laughs when others are hurt or in trouble.

Common Responses: Person is selfish and inconsiderate. Person thinks others' mistakes are funny and makes fun of others.

Autism Interpretation: The person isn't able to take the perspective of someone else and often reacts from anxiety rather than emotion. Therefore, laughing can often be a sign of anxiety.

Helpful Responses:

• Interpret emotions and actions accurately to the person. Use key phrases.
• Label and express emotions in consistent ways. Teach and practice specific phrases to express to others when they have problems such as, " Are you okay?"
• Practice expressing social bids and caring expressions.

Behavior: Person talks about a limited number of topics or wants to do limited number of activities.

Common Responses: Person is boring and annoying. All he ever thinks of is himself.

Autism Interpretation: The person continues to do familiar, pleasurable activities due to sensory, social and communication impairments, which limit the repertoire of activities and interests.

Helpful Responses:

• Introduce the person to meaningful activities by doing the activities with the person: modeling and sharing.
• Desensitize his/her to new, unfamiliar activities so the person can have the opportunity to enjoy activities over time. Even when the person is familiar with an activity, it will take time before the individual feels comfortable enough to benefit from teaching and participating.
• Plan times when the person is free to engage in pleasurable, self-selected activities.
• Use strengths and interests to expand repertoire.
• Start where the person is successful.

Behavior: Person becomes upset when things change: items, places, people, etc.

Common Responses: Person is rigid and it is impossible to control everything for him. He will have to learn to adjust.

Autism Interpretation: The person's anxiety is raised from lack of understanding about what is happening, who to look to for information or where things are located. He becomes confused when the routine is changed.

Helpful Responses:

• Involve the person in the changes by preparing with his/her ahead of tune.
• Provide choices for replacement 'activities when possible.
• Provide visual information about changes and sequences using pictures beforehand as a cue.
• Give person time to process, understand and accept. Teach flexibility through planned experience.
• Desensitize the person to new places, activities, things and people.

Behavior: Person paces back and forth.

Common Responses: Person is trying to get out of what she is supposed to be doing, is disruptive and trying to get all the attention. The person is inattentive and hyperactive.

Autism Interpretation: The person may be feeling "down" or wanting free time, since many people with autism don't know what to do in free or uninstructed tune. The person may need an outlet for a high activity level or may be reacting to stressful situations.

Helpful Responses:

• Provide more exercise and movement activities. Identify appropriate time and place to pace.]
• Teach an individualized relaxation routine when the person is calm and practice several times a day.
• Organize the learning steps so the learner knows exactly what, where and how to do each activity.
• Provide the person with choices to help structure free time.
• Try to determine if the person is trying to communicate something and teach direct communication strategies.
• Teach activities that the person can do in free time with others and alone.
• Plan partial participation with shorter sitting times.

Breakdowns That May Contribute to Challenging Behavior

• Students do not understand what is happening or what is expected. Inaccurately interpret what is seen or heard
• Misunderstand/Misinterpret social information or social attempts of others. Delay in processing auditory information hinders ability to participate effectively. Lack of facial expressions, gestures, body language, communication supports. Lack of skills for repairing communication breakdowns causes frustration

Other Factors That May Cause Challenging Behaviors

• Poor Planning for changes and transitions
• Expectations for Behavior/Independence. Behavior of other students
• Options for flexibility
• Nothing for the student to do

How Others May Cause Challenging Behavior

• Not responding to communication attempts. Not responding to sensory needs
• Inappropriate/unrealistic expectations
• Teasing
• Poor modification/accommodations

Medical Conditions Related to Challenging Behavior

• Seizure disorder
• Anxiety disorder
• Depression/Obsessive compulsive Disorder
• Sleep Disorder
• Allergies
• Nutrition Problems
• Vision/Hearing impairments
• Dental needs
• Common illnesses
• Recurring infections