Reactive Attachment Disorder...

...shows itself in the classroom with many of the same behaviors as PTSD.


According to Tery M. Levy and Michael Orlens, authors of The Handbook of Attachment Interventions (and my favorite book), RAD looks like this (p.10) :


  • behavior: oppositional and defiant, impulsive, destructive, lie and steal, aggressive and abusive, hyperactive, self-destructive, cruel, cruel to animals, fire setting.
  • emotions: intense anger, depressed and hopeless, moody, fearful and anxious (although often hidden) irritable, inappropriate, emotional reactions.

 thoughts: negative core beliefs about self, relationships, and life in general ("negative working model"), lack of cause-and-effect thinking, attention and learning problems.

  • relationships: lacks trust, controlling ("bossy"), manipulative, does not give or receive genuine affection and love, indiscriminately affectionate with strangers, unstable peer relationships, blames other for own mistakes or problems, victimized others / victimized.
  • physical:  poor hygiene, tactilely defensive, enuresis and encopresis, accident prone, high pain tolerance, genetic predisposition (e.g., depression, hyperactivity).
  • moral/spiritual:  lack of empathy, faith, compassion, remorse, meaning and other prosocial values; identification with evil and the dark side of life.

Things you need to know and what to do:
  • (p. 72) Attachment-Disordered children act worse when given information about what is going to occur.
  • (p. 73) Give no negative input. Only positive attention is given for the good parts. Silence is golden; use it to your advantage.  
  • (p. 74) To be successful in supporting each other we have to stop judging and laying blame.
  • (p. 76 ) These children do not learn from works, they learn from action.
  • (p. 77) They need to make restitution for injuries inflicted. They earn the money and pay it back or they give of their time to lift the load of the one they insulted or hurt.  One option for restitution is to do chores.
  • (p. 77) Mozart's music has proven to have a calming, soothing effect that opens the mind to be more creative and have better problem-solving ability and increased memory.  Mozart's melodies can be substitute for sedatives, boost memory and concentration, and improve thinking (Campbell, 1996).
  • (p. 80) Hold steady by using powerful parenting techniques that do not include anger, warnings, second chances, or waiting to consequence until the parent has become stressed.
  • (p. 80) Second chances ("If you do that one more time ... The next time you do that I'll...") are not effective with these children and should not be used.
  • (p. 80) Consequence the first time the child does inappropriate behavior or crosses set boundaries. Use action not anger.
  • (p. 83) Television and movies are a major distraction to the child's healing that must be completely eliminated.  
  • (p. 84) But during these brief training periods the child must practice skills for working in school where remaining at one's desk quietly is essential.
  • (p. 86) The child should be respectfully opening the door for parents.  The child should learn to be respectful by walking beside parents rather than pulling ahead or lagging behind.  Walking in a thoughtful way, honoring parents as their leader, makes a clear statement of respect.
  • (P. 86) They actually prefer negative attention to positive. In the child's mind making someone else happy means that they are "losing". They want to be strong because they do not feel safe. Strength and power are what these children seek.
  • (p. 86) The behavior receiving the most pizzazz is the one the child will repeat.
  • (p. 87) Attachment - Disordered children use their words to control, interrupt, and make noise.  These behaviors are not appropriate and must be eliminated.  Have them put their hand over their mouth when "their jaw gets weak", so weak that they are not able to keep it closed without extra help, teaches some self-control. Once they get their hand up there then use positive rewards by smiling and saying, "Good job getting your hand up."
  • (p. 88) Have them practice handling the word "No." ...  Reaffirm in them that they can handle the word "No" in a respectful manner.
  • (p. 90) Name calling and foul language can be problems of disrespect.  When these children are calling people names it is often a projection of how they feel or of areas they are concerned about.  Rather than getting angry about the term, it is more beneficial to focus on the information the child may be attempting to convey.  The consequence for foul language that has been shown to be successful is to have them scrub toilets, shovel manure, or scoop poop.  Filthy language problems (or having "manure" come out of their mouth) can be solved by having the child develop some strength while moving manure.  Most livestock are not bothered by foul language.
  • (p. 90) It is crucial that parents [teachers] do not get angry while the child is throwing a tantrum.
  • (p. 90) ... processing feelings with them [the child] is appropriate with the questions: "What happened? How were you feeling?  How did you handle it?  How can you handle that better in the future?" These questions are a clear way to process occurrences with them.  Feelings must be validated and met with acceptance and love.  "I bet you do feel that way." For children who throw many unscheduled fits another option is to require them to have a "practice fit" daily scheduled by a  by a loving parent [teacher].
  • (p.92 RESPECT FOR PROPERTY) The lines of respect need to include property.  Treating furniture and other things in the home [school] respectfully is where a child learns how to treat things in the world.  This can deter property damage and vandalism.  Children should be expected to sit on chairs with their feet on the floor and without tipping the chair.  A defiant challenge on this rule can be handled by having the rule-breaker lose their furniture privilege for the day.  An appropriate response is to have the child stand during the rest of the meal [class] if it occurs during a meal or sit on the floor for the rest of a visit or reading time. The consequence should be imposed the first time the rule is broken.  Warning, reminders, and second chances all eliminate the expected consequence.  These ineffective actions become a drain on the parents' [teachers'] energy.
  • (p. 92) Restitution of damaged items is essential for the destructive child to learn to avoid this behavior and feel good about him - or herself.  Broken or damaged items that belong to other people must be repaired and/or paid for promptly by hard-earned money on the destroyers part.  


Levy, Terry M. Handbook of Attachment Interventions. San Diego: Academic, 2000. Print.


Special Storm Radio talks about RAD; great description of trauma, listen if you have time.



For Parents - Possible Strategies:

(Please feel free to tell what works for you so it can be added to our list.)

1. Practice saying "no." Ask your child for a lit of things you can say no to.

2. Some of the books I've read say that RAD kids shouldn't be given 2nd or 3rd chances; they should be given one chance.

3. Play Mozart.

4. Often tell your child that it's going to be ok.

5. When your child is being annoying, he is usually scared about something. Try to figure it out and tell him it's going to be ok.

6. It's really hard not to fix things as parents. Ask your child, "What can you do to solve your problem?"

7. Ask your child to tell you when he's ready for positive attention instead of negative attention. Don't say more than that, meaning try to ignore the bad behavior.

8. Behavior charts DON'T WORK with RAD kids.

9. LISTEN

10. Talk strategies. You want to listen to some loud music/do dance wii/take time in your room?

11. For kids who are petrified of being left alone, a time out is not the best consequence.

12. Have charts up in the house: schedule for after school, strategies for boredon, strategies for when he's angry.

13.Two or three choices, not ten.

14. Diffuse bad times with humor.

15. Again, read the book  Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children.


DEESCALATE! DON'T be a part of the crisis!
Strategies:

TIPS:

  • At home or in the classroom, you want to solve the problem as quickly as possible...understandable. Instead, however, let the child know you are listening to him, that you hear him by repeating his fears, then ask him how he can solve his problem or, "What can I do to help you solve your problem?"...instead of fixing it yourself.
  • Instead of saying thank you, good job, or you're a good boy,  give a personality trait to help build up the child's self worth and confidence. -"That was thoughtful to open the door for me." -"I like how you never gave up running after the ball. That showed real determination." -"You're being so patient. Waiting for so long must be difficult."
  • Reread a small piece of this website or a couple paragraphs from one of the many great books on RAD or PTSD every day to help keep your mind focused on the child's needs, instead of how frustrating and maddening he can be.

Reactive Attachment Podcast
Listen as Kirk the Counselor talks about this developing issue in counseling and how to treat it...


The book Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children follows one child from birth to her teen years.

The key to success was "The Attitude"; the five qualities are being accepting, curious, empathetic, loving, and playful. Easier said than done, but read the book to see how a therapist and foster mom keep up the "Attitude" for years. It's incredible.

Hughes, Daniel A. Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children. Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson, 2006. Print.


This is a blog that documents Living With Reactive Attachment Disorder over years: 
LIVING WITH RAD: learning to love, trust, and feel safe


Key Insight: 

• When youth are in a “triggered” state, the “learning brain” (higher functions of the frontal lobe) goes offline. 

• Verbal warnings or rational arguments that make demands on these higher functions may escalate the situation as youth are physiologically unable to access these functions when they are in a triggered state.


Preventive Interventions: 

• Remove student from or modify the problem context 

• Redirection (increase opportunities for success) 

• Anticipate problem behavior and intervene beforehand 

Meta instruction: 

• Know your students 

• Pay attention to the classroom environment and how it might be impacting students vulnerable to being triggered 

• Anticipating is better than reacting!


Rader, Jennifer. "Judicial Interpretation: An Introduction." OAH Magazine of History 13.1, Judicial History (1998): 36-40. California School-based Health Alliance. School Health Centers. Web. 8 Aug. 2016.



Click on the slide below to see Nic Dibble's whole presentation.



Life on the Funny Farm
...a great, insightful, and warm blog about parenting a RAD child

(C) 2016 RAD, PTSD, Anxiety, and Angry Kids by Erin Beckett