A Holistic Health Perspective on Functions Of Behavior in Autism

Written by Erika MacTinger, Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach

Erika is skilled in restoring health naturally, after overcoming over 30 chronic medical symptoms and conditions. Erika specializes in chronic illness, unique behavior, and exceptional children. Erika has a special interest in coaching children who have autism, ADHD, and other conditions with challenging behaviors.

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The four main functions of behavior in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation. These four functions are often used to describe the reason or purpose a challenging behavior occurs in children who have Autism.

There are also times when the function is unknown.

• Attention refers to a child seeking a reaction from the behavior at hand.

• Escape can be defined as a child trying to escape from a task or demand. A child could want to escape being asked to participate in a group game or activity, or being asked to brush their teeth, or to help clean up. 

• Access to tangibles is when a child would like access to something specific, such as a toy or a specific activity.

• Sensory stimulation relates to children seeking sensory stimulation to bring comfort or a pleasant sensation. Some examples of the need for sensory stimulation may include, a child pacing the room, hand flapping, rocking, tapping feet, or spinning. We can also look to overstimulation as a sensory stimulation function of behavior. An example would be a child who is overstimulated by screen time, loud noises, and crowded rooms.

While challenging behaviors can be defined using these ABA functions, there is much more to the picture when you are looking at behaviors from a holistic health perspective. The holistic health perspective can also explain the functions that were unknown.

Let’s list some challenging behaviors that may occur in children who are on the spectrum.

• Screaming

• Spitting

• Physical aggression

• Property destruction

• Physical and vocal protests

Can the functions of behaviors be classified as attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation? Absolutely! However, there are factors we may be overlooking.

When it comes to a holistic health perspective, we need to ask the question: What are we missing?

• High-fat diet

• Processed food and juice with artificial flavors and or artificial colors

• High sugar content

• Caffeine

• Dehydration

• Blood sugar imbalance

• Lack of trace mineral salts from fruit and vegetables

• Lack of glucose from fruit and vegetables

• Lack of Calories

• Environmental Toxins

• Running on Adrenaline

• Not getting adequate sleep

If you want to create change in behavior, first, we need to address a child’s food and beverage intake. Is the child getting an adequate amount of trace mineral salts and glucose from fruit and vegetables? Take small steps to start creating change and adding in what we can to the child’s daily intake.

How much of the food contains sugar, artificial flavors, artificial colors, or caffeine? Parents can start reading labels and begin switching out the unhealthy foods for healthier snacks. Eliminate caffeine as much as possible. Caffeine is a stimulant and produces adrenaline, which can contribute to challenging behaviors.

We should ask. Is the food intake high in fat? If so, start reducing fat slowly where you can. This includes animal products, seeds, nuts, oils, and avocados. A diet higher in fat is going to result in higher rates of challenging behaviors. We need higher amounts of glucose and mineral salts going to the brain in children with autism.

Is the child eating enough calories? If not, then they are running on adrenaline, and this will create more challenging behaviors as well. Do the best you can to encourage snacking throughout the day in addition to three meals a day. The next question is: Is the child hydrated throughout the day? This is also going to affect behavior.

We also want to take a look at whether the child is getting adequate sleep. I list some steps below to help with that. Sleep can be a more complex issue, and you may need to work with a health coach or practitioner for serious sleep issues.

In a world that has become extremely polluted with environmental toxins, it’s imperative that we address what environmental toxins are in the child’s environment and switch to non-toxic products in the home. It’s also important to start removing toxic heavy metals from the brain and body using nutrition, which can help remove current and new exposure.

Below I list some examples that will help children who have autism. This list will also help children who have other conditions that exhibit challenging behaviors.

Examples of healthier snacks/transitional food items:

• Simple Mills organic seed flour crackers

• Simple Mills honey cinnamon sweet thins

• Siete grain-free tortilla chips

• Trader Joe's dried fruit bars

• Bear fruit rolls

• Solely organic fruit gummies

• Humble organic potato chips

Note that any of these companies could change ingredients, so it’s important to keep an eye out for that.

Examples for including trace mineral salts are incorporating:

• Leafy greens

• Celery

• Fresh herbs such as Cilantro and Parsley

• Lemons and Limes

• Celery Juice

Examples for including enough glucose:

• Apples

• Berries

• Oranges

• Dates

• Mangoes

• Bananas

• Sweet potatoes

• Potatoes

Examples for getting enough hydration:

• Coconut Water

• Lemon or Lime water with honey

• Cucumber juice

• Celery juice

• Fruit juice

Examples for removing toxic heavy metals:

• Wild blueberries

• Cilantro

• Apples

• Apricots

• Sweet potatoes

• Spirulina

• Barley grass juice powder

• Sea vegetables such as dulse or nori

• The heavy metal detox smoothie

• Celery juice

Examples to have before bed to help with sleep:

• Mangoes

• Potatoes

• Sweet potatoes

• Bananas

• Lemon balm

Do not be discouraged if your child is a picky eater. I discuss this further in my article: 12 Tips For Picky Eaters.

Remember, when looking at functions behind challenging behavior, we must evaluate beyond attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation. We need to look at the lifestyle of the child. We have to look at the whole picture before we can conclude the reason behind challenging behavior. Oftentimes, the reason a behavior is happening is not one direct answer, but a combination of things that we need to address.

If you are someone who is searching for answers on how to reduce the frequency of behaviors, ways to help avoid behaviors, and learn how to de-escalate behaviors naturally by taking a holistic health approach, and are looking for support, please reach out! To schedule an Intuitive Health Coaching Session or a Healthy Cooking Tutoring Session at Holistic Hope and Healing, send us a message here!

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Read more from Erika MacTinger

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Erika MacTinger, Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach

Erika is a Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach and the owner of Holistic Hope and Healing. Erika created her health coaching business after healing herself of over 30 chronic medical symptoms and conditions by changing her lifestyle, and utilizing, fruit, vegetables, wild foods, herbs, supplements, and techniques to strengthen the mind and heal the soul.

Aside from coaching how to overcome chronic illness, Erika has a passion and specialty in coaching children who have, autism, ADHD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions that express challenging behaviors or special needs. Erika works closely with parents, offering holistic health guidance and emotional support as their children begin a healing journey.