" Rarely do they mean behavioural problems that only impact on the child themselves. As this is not a problem for anyone else it is often overlooked." yet it can cause the child great distress over time and star makes a brilliant point here.
I look upon all social interaction as "behavior" and try and teach DS accordingly. Schools only seem to worry about chair throwing and the extreme side of things as it affects THEM in the here and now. Yet as his Mum I want DS to marry, make friends and have a successful adult life in social terms , not one where he feels isolated and lonely. My priorities and the school's aren't always the same.
Small behavioral changes - I'll try and give you an example of what I mean in relation to a HF child.
Knowing to respond to teacher prompts when she calls the whole class to come and look at a demonstration - Left to himself my child would only come to watch the demo if his specifc name was called.
A few seconds later the teacher would call his name. My son would look up realise he's still at his desk & feel confused as to what's happening - cue anxiety as he realises he's not doing the right thing as he rushes to join his classmates. An anxious child can't learn.
Goal - to teach him to join in with whole class instructions. He learns how and feels much more at ease and confident. His teachers & classmates are less irritated by him & his social relationships improve as a result of their warmer feeings towards him.
As the general confusion lessens, so does the anxiety and the ability to learn the school topic at hand increases. Happy child, happy teachers, happy Mum.
ABA helps you to help with the little things that overall can make such a difference to the child's quality of life. My DS has to be taught expicitly lots of minor stuff that everyone else learns implictly. Cumulatively those minor things add up.