What Are the Treatments for Aggressive Behavior?

Aggressive behavior in children, such as hitting, kicking, verbal outbursts and rages, can be difficult to manage in the best of times and impossible to cope with in the worst of times. Management techniques range from everyday solutions such as time-outs, to medication. Explore all options thoroughly before making a decision regarding treatment.

Redirection

• When a child exhibits aggressive behavior, redirect him or her to another activity. If the behavior was caused by transitioning from outdoor play to indoor play, redirect the child to a favorite indoor toy. If it was caused by an altercation with another child, redirect to solo play for a while to allow the child to emotionally gather him- or herself after the altercation.

Removal

• In the case of a physical or verbal altercation, the best treatment may be to remove the child from the situation entirely. Take him or her to a quiet room to talk things through or place the child in time out in an effort to give him or her quiet time to calm down.

Counseling

• The key to ending aggressive behavior is finding the root cause. Talking regularly with a counselor may enable the child to verbalize the reasons and work through the feelings causing the poor behavior.

  The root cause can be something as simple as the child not feeling as though he or she receives as much attention as a sibling to something more serious, such as an inability to control feelings. A counselor will walk your child through the appropriate steps to determine the cause and find a solution to the root problem.

Finding Other Outlets

• Encourage the child to write, draw, talk, quietly reflect or go for a walk when feeling aggressive. In many cases, aggression is a sign of latent feelings that the child doesn't know how to express. Frustration is the underlying emotion because the child can't find the words to tell another how he or she is feeling. By turning to creative or physical outlets, the child may be able to grasp what he or she is feeling and find the words to talk through it rather than lash out.

Medication

• Some children with aggressive behaviors or disorders that cause aggressive behaviors are medicated to help calm the aggression. Medication should be used only when all other methods of treatment have been exhausted. If you feel that your child has reached this point, speak with a doctor about these options.

  Disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Fragile X Syndrome can lead to aggression in children. Medications to treat ADHD, such as Ritalin, Concerta or Adderall, may lead to a decrease in aggressive behavior as the ADHD is mitigated. Recent discoveries in mental health care have led to the recognition of bipolar disorder in toddlers, which presents with aggression and rage. Medications to treat this include Klonopin, Seroquel and Depakote.