Differences Between Habits & Behavioral Disabilities in Children

Habits

• According to the Academy of American Pediatrics, habits are repetitive, non-functional motions that do not interfere with daily activity. They include thumb-sucking, nail-biting, rocking, head-banging, body rocking and breath-holding. Habits are often associated with insecurity, nervousness, frustration or anger. When repetitive motions or habits impair daily activity or cause harm they are classified as stereotypic movement disorders, which can be symptoms of behavior disorders. Your pediatrician can help you determine whether you are dealing with a habit or a disorder.

Learning, Memory and Habits

• Not all habits are bad. An article from the Medical Press, titled "When Good Habits Go Bad: Neuroscientist Seeks Roots of Obsessive Behavior, Motion Disorders," points out that information stored in the basal ganglia is the part of your brain that lets you drive your car safely while planning your dinner menu. The synapses, or connections between neurons in the brain, help you develop the habits that remind your hands how to turn the wheel or use the brakes to operate your car. The synapses are meant to be flexible, however, and problems arise when they don't change the way they should. Neuroscientists believe that problems in the basal ganglia might be the cause of disabilities such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and autism.

Dealing With Habits

• Some habits, such as thumb-sucking, go away as your child matures. If the habit is a response to stress, removing the stress can sometimes relieve the habit. For example, if your child starts nibbling on her nails shortly before going to school, learning why she is nervous about school might help solve the problem. According to the "Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics," habits that do not go away on their own can usually be managed using behavior modification techniques, such as gentle reminders, physical impediments and appropriate rewards.

Behavioral Disabilities

• Medline Plus defines behavior disorders as a pattern of "hostile, aggressive, or disruptive behaviors" that last for more than six months. The child's behavior is either harmful to herself or to others and disrupts the normal flow of activity around her. Sometimes these can be temporary conditions brought on by stress, in which case some of the interventions that are effective with habits can be used. Boston Children's Hospital lists four key areas for intervention for a child who has a disruptive behavior disorder: modification strategies for parents, behavioral training for children, family psychotherapy and possibly prescription medication.