Aggressive Behaviors
Aggressive behavior includes hitting, biting, kicking, pinching, and spitting directed at another person. These behaviors affect around 20% of people with intellectual and developmental conditions.Â
Because many people with intellectual and developmental disorders have difficulty expressing their needs with words, aggressive behavior is often a form of communication.
- Communication. Frustration at not being able to express wants or needs.Â
- Physical. Sign of physical discomfort.Â
- Tangible. Desire to obtain an object or food.Â
- Attention. Desire to get a reaction or rise out of someone else.Â
- Escape. Desire to avoid an unwanted or unpleasant experience.Â
While the exact prevalence of aggressive behaviors in 8p rearrangements has not been identified, reports from caregivers suggest aggressive behaviors are an emerging symptom across 8p rearrangements.Â
Caregivers have shared instances of aggressive behaviors across many forums, including:
- Hitting, kicking or biting othersÂ
- Touching others inappropriatelyÂ
- Property destructionÂ
- Verbal harassment
If you notice aggressive behaviors, start by identifying what may be causing it. You can keep a simple log of what the behavior is, and what was happening around the hero when it occurred. When you start noticing patterns, you may be able to make changes to avoid the trigger or provide an alternative.Â
Working with speech therapists can improve communication to help your hero better express their needs. Working with physical and occupational therapists may address physical challenges to expressing needs.Â
If the behaviors are frequent, causing injury or are getting worse, it is important to consult your primary care physician who can connect you with the proper specialists. Â
- Kennedy Krieger Institute. Disruption and Aggression. https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/conditions/disruption-and-aggression
- Beavers, G. A., Iwata, B. A., & Lerman, D. C. (2013). Thirty Years of research on the functional analysis of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.30
- Ageranioti-Bélanger, S., Brunet, S., D’Anjou, G., Tellier, G., Boivin, J., & Gauthier, M. (2012). Behaviour disorders in children with an intellectual disability. Paediatrics & Child Health, 17(2), 84–88. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/17.2.84
Self Injurious Behaviors
Self injurious behaviors are aggressive behaviors aimed at oneself, rather than at others and can include head banging, biting oneself or repetitive behaviors intended to harm oneself.Â
It may serve as a way to cope with frustration, physical discomfort, or sensory overload. In some cases, it may be a response to anxiety or a need for sensory input. While we are still learning about what drives it in the 8p community, caregivers have reported this behavior across a range of ages and abilities.Â
8p hero caregivers have shared instances of self injurious behaviors but these findings have not yet been recorded by the Chromosome 8p Registry.Â
Reported behaviors include:
- Head banging, on mattresses, chairs and wallsÂ
- Biting hands or feetÂ
- Hitting oneself with hands or other objects
When self injurious behaviors arise, you can try to mitigate them byÂ
- Offering alternatives, like something to squeeze, chew or lean up against
- Staying calm when the behavior occurs
- Trying to identify a pattern of the behavior (time of day, certain activities)Â
If the behavior persists or has the potential to cause severe injury, consult your physician right away. Specialists can help identify the causes of the behavior and suggest alternatives to try.Â
- Kennedy Kreiger. Behavioral Disorder/Self-Injurious Behavior. https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/conditions/behavioral-disorders-self-injurious-behavior
Repetitive Behaviors
In many people with intellectual and developmental disorders, repetitive behavior can manifest as a need for strict routines, body movements such as hand flapping, spinning, or rocking back and forth, object manipulation in the same way many times and repeating the same words over and over. Â
These behaviors may serve many functions, such as to:Â
- Reduce anxietyÂ
- Calm the individual
- Stimulate the senses
- Cope with sensory overloadÂ
- Express frustration
- Relieve physical discomfortÂ
Â
Many repetitive behaviors can be harmless to oneself and can be left alone, especially if it is providing a calm and regulated environment for your hero.
The prevalence of repetitive behaviors in 8p rearrangements has not yet been characterized. Caregivers have reported instances of repetitive behaviors, but it is still unclear if these behaviors are linked to chromosome 8p rearrangements, or attributed to other diagnoses within our community.Â
Preliminary reports of repetitive behaviors in the 8p community include:Â
- Hand flappingÂ
- Rocking back and forth
If your hero is experiencing repetitive behaviors that prevent your hero from participating in activities, interacting with others or causing injury, you can work with your care team to find alternatives. Speech, occupational, and physical therapists can often offer safer alternatives for repetitive behaviors.Â
1. Kennedy Krieger. Behaviors That Puzzle: Repetitive Motions and Obsessive Interests in Autism. https://www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/interactive-autism-network-ian/repetitive_motions_and_obsessions
