Common behaviours

List of common behaviour issues

If you don’t see your situation on the list below, please don’t worry – it’s not meant to cover everything. Rest assured we will have helped someone going through something similar to you before, so get in touch with our team for confidential, non-judgemental support.

You can also read guides on understanding and improving behaviour and the types of behavioural support available.

Anxiety – fear of being alone, panic attacks, phobias and fears

Sleeping – not sleeping, not wanting to be alone, bedwetting, bedtime meltdowns, sleepwalking, afraid of the dark

Tantrums and breakdowns – screaming, uncontrollable crying, running away, hurting themselves or others

Lying and stealing – not being truthful, elaborating stories, fantasising, theft of money/belongings, hoarding

Communication difficulties - bad language, swearing, ignoring, avoiding conversations, shouting, defiance

Physical – threats and aggression, hitting, biting, self-harm, avoiding contact

Sensory – clumsy or out of sync, wary of certain materials, feelings, sounds or sensations, not feeling hot or cold in the expected ways

Substances – drinking, smoking, taking drugs

Siblings – rivalry, tension

Socialising – struggling to make friends or play with others, bullying, gangs

Emotional – depression, low self-worth, mood swings, easily upset or angry, being close one moment then distant the next

Transitions – regularly disruptive or upset when changing surroundings or activities (such as getting dressed, bed times, coming home from school etc).

School – anxiety about school, different behaviour in and out of school

Toileting – wetting clothes or bed, going outside of the bathroom, hiding going to the toilet

Food – over or under-eating, refusing food, mealtime meltdowns, hiding food

Speech – stuttering, muttering, not talking, imaginary friends

Isolation – not wanting to talk to or see people, pushing away, only socialising online

Regression – going back to old behaviours, acting much younger than their age

Destructive - self-sabotage, breaking possessions, damaging property

Get support

Behaviour can have a serious impact on your relationships and there are often small, practical things you can do that may have a big impact.

It is natural to hope that difficult behaviour will pass. You may think your worries are not important enough to bother other people with. You might feel scared or embarrassed to share what is happening. Or you could have decided this is just the way things are.

From experience, we know that ignoring your concerns today can make things harder for both you and the child you care for.

Join hundreds of guardians who have been in your position and contacted our team for help. It's a great first step and those other guardians have told us that talking often gave them an instant sense of relief and reassurance.

Contact our team