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Symptoms

"There are a plethora of symptoms that affect children with special needs". 

Continued behaviors of different sorts are the most common symptom. Yet, these behaviors can occur for several other reasons:

• Emotional distress
  • Ask yourself "has the child had any changes in his/her life lately that could be stressful?
  • Encourage your child to express any concerns they may have
• Medical reasons
  • Keep your primary care physician advised of any new behaviors, especially those that could be caused by a medical condition (such as bedwetting).
• Reinforced habit
  • Some children repeat behaviors to get the reaction from others
  • Examine your and your providers reaction to the behavior
• Method of communication what they really need
  • Especially for the non-verbal or non-expressive child acting out to get what they want can easily become a habit. Picture cards are just one solution.

Recognizing the symptoms and medical conditions is the first step towards the diagnosis and treatment. Also, by recognizing the behavior as a symptom, providers are more apt to be understanding and patient.

Also see the Definition of Sensory Terms