How to Prescribe Behavior to Prevent Child Meltdown

Do you have a child who doesn't do well with transitions? Does your child have a meltdown at the slightest provocation or change in schedule? Does your child kick, punch, destroy property, swear, and runaway when angry? These meltdowns are especially common in children who suffered early trauma through abuse, neglect, alcohol, or drug exposure. Some families have learned how to prescribe behavior to prevent child meltdown.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Quick thinking
• Planning

1. 
    
   Look at your child

   Look directly at your child who is about to have a major meltdown.

2. Give your child permission to have a major meltdown. For example say, "Honey, I know you usually have a meltdown when this happens and I want you to know that it is ok for you to do that now."

3. 
    
   Prescribe what you expect your child to do

   Prescribe the behaviors that your child usually does in this situation when agitated. You'll continue talking after telling your child it is ok to have a meltdown and list what the child normally does. "Honey, when you are feeling this way, you usually start swearing, kicking, screaming, and blowing snot so go ahead and get started."

4. 
    
   Let your child have a fit

   Let your child think about what you said. If your child is truly oppositional, then she will refuse to do what you prescribed. If your child does it, that's ok, you gave permission. Eventually, doing this will help your child learn self-control.

Tips & Warnings

• Hugging your child tightly might help calm him down from the pressure.
• Try not to get angry, it won't help.

Resources

• How to Work Through an Anxiety Attack
• How to Treat ADD Naturally with Diet and Supplements
• How to Cope With Klinefelter Syndrome
• How to Know if Your Child Needs Residential Treatment
• How to Tell if Your Child Has Impulse Control Problems
• Why hold or restrain a child

[sallyemaycreate]

on 11/18/2009 Very interesting concept and approach in your article on How to Prescribe Behavior to Prevent Child Meltdown. Wish I could have read this and more about it 20 years ago when mine had occasional meltdowns. Thanks so much for a great article! 5* & recommendation

[heatherinks]

on 9/4/2009 This works with truly oppositional children - they will do the opposite. By stating what a child usually does, it shows their behavior is predictable, and they can eventually realize that they indeed have a choice - to tantrum or not to tantrum. The result will be learning that they can choose self control instead.

[Luckelady]

on 8/15/2008 I would like to know how giving permission for a child to lose control will eventually teach him or her to have self-control, as stated in the last paragraph. This is a natural question that the article provokes and might be a good addition to it.

[MIghtyDreamer]

on 8/4/2008 hmm. okay well I would say that's one way. It's a tactic I never thought to use.