Are you seeking treatment for your child, and do you need proof of their behaviors? Maybe you are struggling to keep track of your concerns to share with providers. We get it. A behavior log may be helpful for you to capture data and look objectively at what is happening with your child.
What is a Behavior Log?
As a caregiver of a child with special needs, it can be pretty challenging to obtain objective and organized information. You may struggle to convey the necessary information during your visits with healthcare providers. As a result, it becomes difficult to get the additional support your child requires.
Child Mind Institute provides resources on specific mental health conditions at https://childmind.org/.
There are many ways to document behaviors. You can use your phone’s notes section, a notebook, or the FREE PDF option we have put together below.
Why You Need a Behavior Log for Treatment
Higher levels of treatment, whether that’s in-home therapy, wrap-around teams, inpatient care or residential treatment are considered the most restrictive form of treatment for children. While it should not be taken lightly, it can also be a necessary level of care for children with special needs.
Understood.org provides parent-focused support for behavior-related learning challenges.
In my home, my child complies with my husband’s requests promptly. However, when it is just me and my child, there is very little compliance, and many prompts are required to complete a task.
I went to my child’s provider and asked for ideas or interventions to get my child to comply. They minimized or generalized their feedback without my documentation and suggested things I had already tried.
Keeping a behavioral log allowed me to be objective, clear, and concise in my concerns and ultimately supported the recommendation for a residential treatment setting for my child.
As the parent responsible for getting the children off to school every morning, I have noticed a significant difference in how our children respond to my request to put on their shoes compared to when my partner asks them to do the same.
I have documented that when my partner asks, it takes under two minutes for our child to comply without additional prompts. However, when I ask, without my partner present, it takes over 15 minutes for our child to comply, and I have to give them more than eight prompts.
Although collecting this data was challenging, it helped me explain to providers why I was struggling to get our child to school on time every day due to their non-compliance with my everyday requests.
Our child has Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) along with conduct disorder traits. Due to this, collecting data is crucial as there is no guarantee of compliance.
Our child is physically capable of putting on his shoes in under two minutes. However, the challenge lies in his relationship with the person making the request. It often becomes a power struggle between myself as the primary caregiver and my child’s desire for control.
I kept a behavior log, which enabled me to collect specific data and identify patterns in my children’s behavior. It also helped me understand why I felt overwhelmed and frustrated while getting my children ready for school.
I realized that each step of the morning routine took over 15 minutes to complete, which caused me to be frustrated and overwhelmed.
What to Include in a Behavior Log
Although a behavior log can be customized to capture specific areas, it is crucial to document 4 key elements.
1. Date and Time
When tracking behaviors, include the dates and times of day. This information helps to understand when the behaviors are occurring. Additionally, providers are interested in the frequency and duration of the behaviors, including how often they occur and how long each incident lasts.
2. Behavior Description
In this section, I document the behavior that took place. Specifically, I asked my son to put on his shoes for school and noted how long it took him to comply. I also kept track of the number of verbal prompts I used when he was not complying.
I demonstrated that I didn’t simply ask once and then walk away for 15 minutes. Instead, I remained within my child’s line of sight and provided multiple verbal prompts.
3. Antecedent
The antecedent is the triggering event that caused the behavior.
Record what happened before an incident because it influences behaviors.
In my home, the TV is not allowed on until everyone is ready to go, if time is left. I made sure to document that there was no TV or other distractions in the environment.
My child also has ADHD, so he is unlikely to comply when distracted by other stimuli in his environment.
I want to make clear that there was no conflict before my son refused to comply. It was just a normal morning, and I asked all the children to prepare for the day. I wasn’t arguing with my son or demanding that he put his shoes on.
4. Consequences
Providers need to have information about what happens after an incident. When one child refuses to comply with requests, it negatively affects the other children.
For instance, when my teenager knows they will be late for school due to their little brother’s non-compliance, it affects the siblings practically and relationally. This aspect is crucial for providers to consider when assessing the impact of behavior on the family system.
The consequence section can also capture the “punishment” used or the child’s behavior following the incident. For example, we have tried taking away privileges for our son for the same amount of time; he refused to comply. In other words, he would have 1 hour 45 minutes of screen time that day instead of the standard 2 hours.
I include these consequences so providers understand what has been used to attempt to address the behaviors. In our case, I also document how our child responds to the consequences. This is important in our case due to the incidents of rages that occur when we impose a parental consequence for non-compliance.
How to Create a Behavior Log
There are many ways you can document behaviors. Whatever you choose to use, know it is essential data you are collecting, and it can provide critical information to help providers understand and support you and your child.
Choose the method that will work best for you and that you can keep up with during your busy life schedule.
Important Information to Document in a Communication Log
Along with a behavior log, I recommend to all parents I work with that they keep a communication log. Be sure to get our free printable since we’ve provided one for you.
If you call Medicaid or the insurance company multiple times to request help for your child, document communication.
There’s an old saying in social work, “If you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen.” Documentation is vital as proof.
Here are important discussions that need to be documented:
- Doctors
- Caseworkers
- Teachers and support staff
- Therapists
- Insurance companies
- Medicaid
- Department of Human Services
- Legal representatives
- Police
- Hospitals
When speaking with someone about Medicaid, insurance, or any type of funding, I always make sure to get their name, job title, and direct way of contacting them again if possible.
Parenting a child with unique needs is challenging. A behavior log can be a helpful tool when advocating for services or support for your child.
Child & Teen Behavior Log – Free PDF Printable
Use this free printable behavior chart to document how you are advocating for your child’s needs. If your child does need a higher level of care in the future, you will have important information to prove how you have exhausted all other options, and this treatment is necessary.
Click here for a free PDF printable checklist of the 7 steps to take when your child needs residential treatment.
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