“Behavioral Challenges:”
What an all-encompassing phrase used to convey the frustrations that parents, teachers, and caregivers face with some children. Sometimes it’s used to describe a seemingly willful child who won’t follow directions. Other times, we use it to talk about an aggressive child or one that constantly bickers with peers. What about the child who just doesn’t seem to care what their peers are doing or the child who seems “lazy?”
When behavioral difficulties get too challenging and life is affected too greatly, parents often seek help for their child. They often go to their doctor, and the child may receive medical or psychological intervention through a “behavioral lens.” Sometimes these interventions work, and sometimes they just leave families feeling helpless and confused. But what if there was another way? One that sees the child as human first, as someone who does not WANT to be difficult, angry, or antisocial? One that understands that sometimes our behaviors are simply a result of the match between the environment and individual. That’s where “praxis” comes in…
I spend a lot of time talking to families about “praxis,” but because most people have never heard of it, these conversations can feel a little cumbersome at first. After all, “praxis” is actually an umbrella term that covers three sets of skills: Ideation, Motor Planning, and Motor Execution.
Ideation involves the ability to identify a way to engage with objects, people, or the environment. For example, when you are out on a walk and you see a new path, you might think, “Oh, where does that go?.” Or when your child finds a rock in the backyard, they might see it as an addition to their special gem collection, a building material to use for a little house they’re making, or even as an imaginary hammer. People who have strong ideation are often creative, innovative, and full of ideas. But most of us know someone who is an “ideas person” but has difficulty making a plan, taking action, or following through. Ideation on it’s own isn’t enough.
(Motor) Planning occurs when we transform our idea into mental plan for taking action. This may happen consciously and with a lot of effort, or it can be extremely quick and almost subconscious. Let’s take the walking path example. As you see the path and wonder “Where does that go?”, you probably will look around and scan your environment. You might try to predict where it goes and consider your options for getting to the entrance. Do you just have to walk across a street? Or do you have to walk around a pond first? For the child with the rock, after the thought, “I can use this as a hammer!”, they have to consider which part will serve as the handle and which part will serve as the head. Once the mental plan is in place, we can take action and execute the plan.
(Motor) Execution happens once we begin taking action. It often involves movement of at least one part of our body and requires coordination, bodily control, and awareness of not only our physical body but the physical surroundings and/or the social circumstances. This phase is not only about taking action but also monitoring the success of your action so that if your idea doesn’t create the expected result, you have the opportunity to adjust your approach to try again.
Other examples of how praxis is carried out in daily life include:
A Social Situation:
Ideation: You see a group of your coworkers huddled around a desk, and you wonder “What are they talking about it? I want to know.”
Planning: You think, “I’m going to go over there. It looks like I could fit between Laura and Stephanie. I’ll have to say something when I get there to find out what’s going on.” (Again, remember this can happen really quickly and almost subconsciously).
Execution: You begin moving your body toward the group. You manage your speed so you don’t run into anyone and maneuver in a socially appropriate manner to get into the huddle. You wait for the appropriate time, and with the just-right volume, you ask “What’s going on?” If no one says anything, you might wait a moment and then ask again (maybe a little louder or a little more clearly), “What’s going on over here?”
Creating and Completing a To-Do List:
Ideation: Let’s say it’s the morning and you know you have a lot of errands to run and housework to do. You might think, “How am I going to get this all done? What should I do first?” Then you realize, “I should make a list!”
Planning: Now that you know you want to write a to-do list, you have to mentally plan where to find paper and a writing utensil.
Execution: You begin to move your body toward the drawer with paper and pens. You open the drawer, and your eyes scan for the items you want. You pick up the paper and pen with the just-right amount of force to grip and carry them to the table. You then begin your list.
These examples show us what it’s like when we have adequate praxis skills. But what if we have difficulty coming up with our own ideas, making the plan, or executing and adjusting the plan as necessary? This may seem a little strange since those of us who have adequate praxis skills access these processes freely and with ease. However, for a person with praxis challenges, life can be much harder.
What about the child who experiences coordination difficulties when trying to learn to tie their shoes?
Or the child who hears “Put your shoes and coat on, and get your backpack,” and doesn’t even know where to start looking for their shoes?
Or the teenager who doesn’t register the thought, “What’s so funny?” when they hear a group of peers laughing nearby (And then the thought of going over to the group never crosses their mind)?
Or the adult who can’t quiet their busy mind to process one thought at a time to decide how they’ll cook dinner and still help the kids finish their homework?
We can see how these people may experience a sense of overwhelm or frustration or appear as though they are inattentive or antisocial. Over time, we can understand how these behaviors would be seen as “challenged” and why we might seek help. Sadly, however, the help they need isn’t always what is offered. So let’s look into this further and understand how praxis challenges—especially in children—are both perceived and treated.
Many children with difficulties in one or more areas of praxis may experience challenges related to self-care, play, social, communication, and regulation skills. Praxis difficulties affect everyone differently, but just a few behavioral manifestations include:
Controlling or rigid behavior
Lack of imaginative play
Inability to play independently
Slow to learn a new sport or motor skill
Appearing quiet, shy, or reserved to the point that it affects friendships and social life
Difficulty with follow-through of chores/schoolwork/etc
Attention difficulties
Appearing “lazy” or unmotivated
Quicker to anger, frustration, or “shut-down”
So many times, I’ve seen kids with praxis difficulties become labeled as having ADHD and/or autism, being defiant, being too sensitive, or other behavioral or emotional challenges/diagnoses. These kids often are either put on medication and/or sent straight to behavioral therapy. The medication may modify their energy levels or even-out their emotional responses. The behavioral therapy may address parenting strategies for boundaries and/or rule-setting, use of rewards and consequences, offer social skills training and role playing, or otherwise help the child to accept that they must behave differently in order to be successful in life. However, if the root cause of these “behavioral challenges” is underlying praxis difficulties, these approaches may never help a child gain new skills or experience a better life. As a result, the child and their parents may feel a loss of hope, and the child’s self-esteem and self-confidence may spiral down, causing further physical, emotional, or behavioral difficulties.
Using the “praxis lens” not only helps address the root cause of behavioral difficulties but it helps us to understand that many children do not WANT to be rigid, antisocial, “lazy”, or inattentive. They are not intentionally being defiant, slow, or disengaged. They just need a different approach. Looking through the praxis lens helps us to understand that sometimes it’s not about the child. Rather, it IS about us (the adults) or the environment. Sometimes it’s about how we give instructions or how many repetitions are needed. Sometimes it’s about slowing down, practicing smaller steps, and building on them gradually. Sometimes it’s about how WE—the adults—show up to guide, coach, and teach to help the child succeed.
Intervention through a praxis lens:
Sees the child as a human being. One that wants to be successful, feel satisfaction, and engage in their world in meaningful ways.
Brings curiosity to the table to help uncover body-brain factors that influence the child’s behavior.
Provides just-right opportunities for the child to practice their skills by either modifying the environment, using visuals, breaking down steps, or even helping bolster underlying processing, coordination, or body awareness challenges.
Helps foster a child’s and parent’s sense of acceptance, adaption, and hopefulness.
Does a child you know or love experience “behavioral challenges?”
It’s possible that praxis difficulties may be a factor. Feel free to contact me or reach out to an occupational therapist or other provider who understands the praxis-behavior connection.