Aggression and Self-Injury: The Functional Approach

Hitting, biting, head-banging — these behaviors frighten parents into reactive mode. But aggression and self-injury follow the same laws as all behavior: they happen because they WORK. Find what they accomplish, and you can replace them.

Rule out pain FIRST

Before any behavior plan: dental exam, ear check, GI workup (constipation and reflux are epidemic in autistic kids and invisible drivers of self-injury). A child who can't say "my tooth hurts" may hit their face instead. New or escalating self-injury = medical evaluation, full stop.