🌈 Down Syndrome Tool
🧩 Managing Difficult Behaviors
Understanding and supporting with kindness
📌 About this tool
Difficult behaviors are often a means of communication. This tool helps identify possible causes and offers strategies adapted to Down syndrome: prevention, management during crisis and return to calm.
🔍 What behavior do you observe?
Opposition / Refusal
Says "no" systematically, refuses to cooperate, does the opposite of what is asked
Anger / Tantrums
Screaming, intense crying, throws themselves on the ground, stamps feet, difficult to calm
Flight / Avoidance
Escapes, hides, avoids certain situations or people, refuses to enter somewhere
Agitation / Excitement
Can't sit still, runs everywhere, speaks loudly, difficult to channel
Self-stimulation
Repetitive movements (rocking, hands), mouth sounds, object manipulation
Attention Seeking
Acts up to get attention, interrupts, wants to be the center of interest
🚫 Opposition / Refusal
❓ Why this behavior?
🛡️ Prevent
⚡ During the crisis
✅ After the crisis
📋 ABC Analysis Grid
Note your observations to better understand the behavior
A
Antecedent
What happened just before?
B
Behaviour
What behavior exactly?
C
Consequence
What happened after?
💡 Key principles for Down syndrome
Processing time: Allow 10-15 seconds after an instruction before repeating
Visual first: Show rather than explain with words
One thing at a time: Short and simple instructions
Routine and predictability: Changes are a source of stress
Value efforts: Praise positive behaviors
Stay calm: Your emotional state influences theirs
Consistency: Same rules with all adults
Kindness: The behavior is not the child