Alternative Treatments for Behavioral Problems in Children

Behavioral problems in children can refer to attention deficit disorder, adjustment problems and emotional issues. Children with behavioral problems often have out-of-the-ordinary responses to situations, such as tantrums lasting more than 30 seconds, aggression towards others and depression, among other symptoms. As a parent, you may be concerned about the effects medication can have on your child. There are alternative treatments you can try in order to manage your child's behavior problems.

Behavioral Therapy

Reward your child for good behavior.

Behavioral therapy works by making adjustments in your child's daily routine in order to change behavioral patterns. According to Kids Health, some strategies to help your child include following a schedule, using effective discipline and using a reward system. Creating a schedule provides structure and consistency for your child. Effective discipline refers to revoking privileges from your child instead of resorting to negative responses such as spanking. A reward system can help your child achieve goals as she learns to modify her behavior.

Parent Training

Break out of the negativity and focus on the good.

When you focus on the bad things your child does, your child will also want to focus on this negativity. According to the Mayo Clinic, negative attention can harm her self-esteem and confidence. It may take active coaching from a therapist to break out of the cycle of only telling your child what she's doing wrong. Learning how to praise your child for even the simplest of tasks can help her learn how to cope with her frustrations. Engaging in enthusiastic praise such as giving a hug or a pat on the back can help improve your child's behavior.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the treatment of behavioral or emotional problems through counseling, or talking. You may opt to attend your child's counseling sessions or let her attend sessions on her own. Therapy with a trained professional can help your child deal with her emotions effectively.

Staying Calm

Your child may yell in response to your yelling.

At times you may act out when your child gets out of control. A natural response is to yell to try to regain control. However, your child is more likely to lose control if you yell at her. Iif you speak in a calm tone, your child may also calm down instead of throwing a tantrum.