Early Childhood Mental Health Treatment: Training Reference Guide

Fact Sheet
Planning Interventions
Parent training in behavioural modification has increased compliance with parental
requests and parent-child interactions also has shown significant improvement.
Direct intervention with the child to enhance learning capacities and to improve
emotional and social functioning
• Autism (See specialized Fact Sheets)
Depending on severity and age of onset one or more the following approaches may be used:
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)
Sensory integration therapy
Auditory integration therapy
Interactive approaches
Supportive work with parents
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD)
Selection of treatment options will depend on the child’s level of ability, and behavioural,
social and emotional difficulties. (See specialized Fact Sheets)
Providing structure and routine in all of the child’s environments, i.e. home, child
care, school
Teaching life and social skills and appropriate behaviours
Support parents in controlling hyperactivity and impulsive behaviours
Strategies that assist the child with memory and information processing
• Regulatory Disorders
Regulatory disorders have been defined as “distinct patterns of atypical behaviour coupled
with specific difficulties in sensory, sensory/motor, or organizational processing” (Zero to
Three, 1994). These include very young children who are hyper/hyposensitive and have
difficulty with modulating emotions and/or organizing motor activity. At a later stage these
difficulties may result in either aggressive behaviour or a precursor to childhood-onset conduct
disorder and/or depression.
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