Advice on SIB

[Guest guest]

My son is 2yrs9mos. I notice he is now starting to hit us ( more

like a " tap " on the head) when he doesnt get what he wants (although

its not at all hard or hurtful) and he is also just beginning to

slap his own legs when he gets upset. I would think nothing of it

if he didnt have this diagnosis, because it is so mild and would

assume it is just a stage, but because of the SIB that is so common

among autistic children, I want to be sure to nip this in the bud as

soon as possible to prevent it from becoming anything more. Can

anyone please advise on what I should do as soon as he hits himself

or me from an ABA standpoint. For now, we are saying " No hitting "

and he will stop when we say it, but other times he will say " no

hit " as he is hitting me or himself.

Thx ahead--sincerely,

Kris

[Guest guest]

Dear Kim,

Think of several possible behaviors to replace the tapping and

hitting. Think in terms of your own behavior as well. If he is

seeking attention " No Hitting " will only reinforce it. Look at the

behavior and determine WHY it is happening (function) he can't reach

a toy (hits his leg out because he's frusrated that he can't get to

it and wants your attention to get it) he has to sit at the table

(hits his leg because it might get him out of having to comply; he

wants to escape) or he does it because it creates an internal

sensation (he is in pain and trying to relieve it or he likes the

sensation). When you have the function down then you know how to

bring in and reinforce the replacement behaviors WHILE extinguishing

(getting rid of) the maladaptive ones.

One = the other.

Looking at the list of your possible replacement behaviors, you'll

see a degree of ease or difficulty. If he could speak with ease you

might not have the behavior in the first place so that may not be

the best one to start (though I am a committed VB mom).

Blocking his 'tap' and having him clap when he is frustrated might

be an early replacement behavior and that, too, can get extinguished

and replaced by sign or vocal response that you have been pairing

with the clap. That's just an example.

You want to make sure the behavior you want him to use meets the

function of the tapping or hitting. I didn't fully understand this

in the beginning of our dx. But as I've learned, I understand now

how critical it is to not only extinguish maladaptive behaviors but

to be creative in their replacement.

Don't let this dx sway you. You have an smart kid trying to problem

solve in the only way he knows how. By replacing and reinforcing

new behaviors you grant him a greater range of choice when dealing

with the world. At some point, vocal words and signs and vocal

reading and writing (if they aren't already) are going to come into

the equation. Our children meet with many failures and default to

what is dependable. Reinforcing the new behaviors validates their

success and they will come to depend on those behaviors. They use

what works. Teach him that hitting no longer works...

Good Luck

and Warm Regards!

Tillman's mom

> My son is 2yrs9mos. I notice he is now starting to hit us ( more

> like a " tap " on the head) when he doesnt get what he wants

(although

> its not at all hard or hurtful) and he is also just beginning to

> slap his own legs when he gets upset. I would think nothing of it

> if he didnt have this diagnosis, because it is so mild and would

> assume it is just a stage, but because of the SIB that is so

common

> among autistic children, I want to be sure to nip this in the bud

as

> soon as possible to prevent it from becoming anything more. Can

> anyone please advise on what I should do as soon as he hits

himself

> or me from an ABA standpoint. For now, we are saying " No hitting "

> and he will stop when we say it, but other times he will say " no

> hit " as he is hitting me or himself.

>

> Thx ahead--sincerely,

> Kris