Intervention Strategies For Attention Deficit Behaviors

  1. Reduce stimuli whenever possible.
  2. Pay attention to and respond warmly to the child’s positive behaviors often. (such as playing quietly or being responsible)
  3. Communicate approval by facial expression, tone of voice and touch.
  4. Show excitement around accomplishments.
  5. Ignore negative behavior whenever possible and appropriate.
  6. Refrain from giving unnecessary commands.
  7. Respond calmly and effectively to negative behavior. Please do not yell at children!
  8. Use timeout when necessary. (30 seconds to 1 minute per year of age) and only if this method does not escalate the situation!
  9. When necessary, become trained to do therapeutic holds. You should be trained or certified so you don’t accidentally harm your child or yourself.
  10. Avoid making unrealistic expectations of the child. Example: expecting cooperation during a long shopping trip or expecting good behavior all of the time!
  11. Use the following communication techniques: The parent telling about his/her experiences as a child, and asking follow up questions, listening and paraphrasing, tracking and describing….verbalizing the child’s behavior during play with the child. Have a “nightly review” celebrate with the child, the positive behaviors noted during the day
  12. Arrange day time activities to include: large motor activities like outdoor play.fine motor activities like playing with blocks playing alone playing with other children being alone with a parent being with the family.
  13. Avoid making negative remarks about the child or generalizations to negative attributions.