Children show us how they are feeling in the way they behave. The reasons might be more obvious at some times than others. It is affected by age, understanding, experiences and personality. 

Behaviour is a way of communicating. It can take time to work out what children are trying to tell us. Changes in behaviour might be because of:

• Change or family difficulties such as starting school or parental conflict.
• A need for more boundaries, routines or activity in day to day life.
• How they deal with information from their senses – finding some noises, smells or situations ‘too much’.

It is common to worry that behaviour is caused by a condition or diagnosis, but it is always important to think about other causes for behaviour. These could be worries, frustration, tiredness, hunger or pain.

Children's mental health can have an impact on their behaviour because their sense of wellbeing can affect how they think, feel and act. If they suffer from poor mental health it can affect how they handle stress, relate to other people and make choices. 

Children with additional needs that experience some behaviour difficulties will still benefit from being responded to in a calm, kind way and from routines and boundaries, alongside any extra help they might need.