How can/do you deal with unpredictable behaviour?

[Blossomhill]

Dd has had a terrible year with regards to her behaviour. Since going on medication things have improved loads but inbetween and when it wears off the old behaviour resurfaces.
Dd is off to London tomorrow and I have had long discussions with the school as I am concerned. I have been adament that she needs a 1:1 incase she kicks off.
Something that stuck in my mind that the teacher said is that dd's behaviour isn't the worst in the group but the most unpredictable. One minute she can be as happy as larry and the next she is so angry, upset, screaming, lashing out etc. One example being the mock SATS. Dd was fine but came across a question she didn't understand and apparently she just got so cross and started screaming. So the teacher took her out of the class and she calmed down.
Is there anyway we can be dealing with this?
I know we need to look at triggers and obv. with the test it was sheer frustration but how on earth can we make things easier for dd?
The CP has said we need to teach dd to ask for help but so hard with a child that ok has a vast vocab. but still can't converse with me.
Maybe I need to do social stories?
Any advice would be great. Thanks xx

ds1's behaviour is very unpredicatble. In a slightly different way in that something will catch his visual attention and he's off, whoosh wanting to check it out.

In terms of frustration type behaviours - then yes requesting help. School have worked hard on this with him and we do sometimes get a pecs sentence strip "i want help" now.

In your dd's case then yes social stories would be a sensible way to go about it I would think.

Ds2 is Mr Unpredictable. He's still a bit young for proper Social Stories but the SALT is going to try a picture version with him. He has good language skills but giving him a picture symbol with "Help" on it has been very effective. If your dd is a visual learner then a mixture of the two might help. A simple social story about recognising for herself when she starts to feel angry or frustrated and to ask for help in whatever form is most appropriate to her (permission to leave the desk/room, a squeeze, a stim etc). This could then be backed up with a picture symbol, with or without text, for her to give to the adult.