Sheryl was at the end of her rope. Ben, her nonverbal son would insist on eating after bedtime, and would become violent if not given food, biting at Sheryl’s arms to the point where she was afraid of him — he was quite strong and uncontrollable!

Sara, the provider, observed this behavior and came up with a plan to stop it in its tracks, giving Sheryl specific suggestions. Step one was to wear a jacket for those few hours so her arms were not as accessible to Ben. Next, she instructed Sheryl to set up a few snacks in Ben’s room and explain that if he is hungry he can eat those, but he cannot ask for more. They gradually started leaving fewer snacks, whittling it down to two and then just one snack, effectively modifying the problematic behavior.

Within a few months, Ben’s intense aggression subsided and Sheryl felt relieved and empowered. She had been desperate enough to consider placement for Ben, but after his treatment through Intensive Behavioral Services, she was able to shelve that idea and enjoy his company again.