• Tag and reinforce lavishly
• Monitor the child’s body language- it is your best guide
• Stop when the child displays a negative emotional reaction
• Respect the amount of effort needed for a child with a disability to do even a simple task

I think this last point it so important. Many times the child knows the answer, but it takes so much effort to produce the response. I think sometimes people mistakenly think a child doesn’t know something, when in reality, the child can’t pull together the sequence of actions to demonstrate her knowledge – she can’t speak or can’t indicate appropriately.

It takes work, thought and effort to prevent tantrums.

We may have to change routines, procedures or expectations, and this can be difficult.

We have to change our own behavior and this is always difficult.

But the rewards are so worthwhile!

You will end up with a happy child who is an engaged learner. That child will be able to do more and spend much more time on task.

Just a personal note. When I figured out everything Douglas had been trying to teach me, followed his signals, and did everything else, his learning soared. And he was perfectly happy to work really hard. He could sit down with me for 90 minutes straight, that’s an hour and a half, and do math and reading and fluency practice and dozens of worksheets and he never budged from his chair. He loved it. And the tantrums disappeared.

This is how to prevent tantrums!

However, if you have the occasional outburst, you know how to handle it. The tag points for defusing a tantrum:

• Quiet mouth or appropriate vocalization
• Hands still
• Feet still
• Exhales