Navigating Behavior is a guide from the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). According to the NDSS website:
“When internal needs, emotions, or discomfort cannot be effectively expressed, behaviors may emerge that disrupt daily routines. This guide equips parents, caregivers, educators, direct support professionals, and clinicians with a practical, evidence‑informed framework for understanding and addressing challenging behaviors in individuals with Down syndrome. After reading the guide, users will better understand how to identify the function of behavior, respond safely and effectively, and promote improved quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome.”
Contents include:
- How to understand challenging behavior
- Root causes of challenging behavior
- Common interventions based on the function of the challenging behavior
- Age-specific considerations
- Additional considerations for self-injury/self-harm, aggressive behaviors, and elopement behaviors
- Behavior checklist
- Data collection sheet
Navigating Behavior is a free resource. NDSS requires users to provide their name, email address, city, and state to access it.
Additional resources are available in the Behavior section of our Resource Library.
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