(Available in English and Spanish) | Useful to Parent Centers serving families of preschoolers with disabilities or who are exhibiting worrisome behavior problems.

This article from the Child Mind Institute provides guidance on how to know when 3- to 5-year-olds need help with behavior. While most children who are treated for disruptive behavior problems are school-age, there are signs that preschool kids might need help learning to manage their impulses and regulate their behavior. The article summarizes what many of those signs are, including:

  • having more—and more serious—tantrums than typical kids their age;
  • neing kicked out of preschool or excluded from play dates; or
  • Behavior that is disrupting family life and and putting serious strain on other family members.

Sections of the article include:

  • What kinds of therapy are effective for preschool children?
  • When should you start therapy?
  • How can a parent know when a child might benefit from parent therapy?
  • What about kids who don’t act up, but just don’t obey orders?
  • What happens in parent training?

In each section, additional reading materials are suggested.

Access the English version of  Problem Behavior in Preschoolers at:
https://childmind.org/article/problem-behavior-in-preschoolers-2/

Access the Spanish version, Problemas de Comportamiento en Niños en Edad Preescolar, at:
https://childmind.org/article/problemas-de-comportamiento-en-ninos-en-edad-preescolar/