Understanding and Addressing Child's Public Undressing Behavior
A 13-year-old boy, Kapil, exhibits sudden outbursts by undressing in public, showing unawareness of his surroundings. Parents are advised to observe and document his behavior using an ABC chart to identify triggers and patterns. Seeking professional help, such as from a psychologist or occupational therapist, can further understand the sensory nature of his actions.
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Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Kapil is 13 years old. He has sudden outbursts and removes his clothes, completely unaware of who is around him. He sits in the nude and walks around the house without clothes. This behaviour has also happened in other social settings as well. How should a parent handle this situation?
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri To address this issue, let us start with few questions to the parents/caregivers. A thorough analysis of the factors that may play a role in Kapil s behaviour, will help us understand and address the same. Careful observation of the child s behaviour When is this behaviour observed? Make a list of different situations when this behaviour occurs. Does it happen at a specific time? What is the frequency of the incident (how many times during the day?) During the episodes is the child mindful of the happening? If the child is aware of his doing, does he do so with any specific texture or fit of the clothing? Do you observe any changes in his facial expressions? If yes, what do the expressions look like? Does the child look pleased or upset after undressing? How does it usually end? Why do these observations matter? They matter in order to understand the root cause of his behaviour.
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri In order to record your observations it may be useful to maintain an ABC chart. Please use the Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence (ABC) chart to document your child s behavioural concerns. Antecedent : What took place right before the given behavioural episode? Behaviour : What is the action that best describes the behavioural episode that is the cause for concern? Consequence : What series of events took place immediately after the behavioural outburst? How was it handled by the adult that calmed the child down. Inferred reason : Why do you think your child reacted the way he/she did? NOTE: To put this chart to best use, please document all the information in observable terms i.e as action verbs and NOT thought verbs (e.g. Describe events as they occur by quoting the exact action that took place, such as screaming, hitting as a behavioural response rather than saying that the child is upset or angry in a given situation)
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Possible scenarios that may cause Kapil to react by undressing his clothes Notice a specific time of the day he chooses to undress hot summer day? Is there a specific texture or fitting that he particularly dislikes that prompts him to undress? Are his clothes wet after drinking a glass of water or visiting the toilet? SENSORYNATUREOFTHEBEHAVIOUR
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Now that you have identified the sensory nature of Kapil s behaviour, what do you do? Short term Go to a Psychologist/OTist to understand if the child has sensory processing challenges and whether this behaviour is indeed an outcome of seeking sensory input. Practice at home - A few safer alternatives can be : WHEN SOURCE OF DISCOMFORT IS THE WEATHER Consume liquids Wear cotton shirts with buttons to air the body out (Also having buttons on the shirt will delay the time taken to remove the shirt). Get the person to wear a belt that would delay time required to remove the pants. WHEN SOURCE OF DISCOMFORT IS THE FITTING/TEXTURE OF CLOTHES Some individuals do not like the structure of the fabric against their skin. Be mindful of what textures are suitable and what are not when buying clothes. Always opt for loose fitting clothes. No body hugging fits for both shirts or pants.
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Now that you have identified the sensory nature of Kapil s behaviour, what do you do? Long Term Visit an OTist Teach the child to understand his sensory needs. If the child is non-verbal use social stories or alternative communication devices to describe their discomfort. Teach the child to ask for help to achieve his sensory needs At home In the privacy of one s own home, recreate the scenarios that bother the child and teach them to ask for help rather than impulsively removing their clothes. Role play can help in controlling response in public settings. Sensory discomfort due to wetness of clothes can also trigger the need to undress. Teach your child to ask for change of clothes on occasions he/she wets himself.
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Possible scenarios that may cause Kapil to react by undressing his clothes What is the reaction in school or home when he removes his clothes? Is he made to leave room? Is he given more attention at that point than when he is clothed? SOCIAL SKILL DEFICIT ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Now that you have identified the attention seeking nature as the root cause of Kapil s behaviour, what do you do? Short term him/her in the heels, one can say things like, "feeling hot, sit under the fan or wear sleeveless or something simpler that the child can understand. Do not show any reaction as this is equivalent to giving them the undue attention for an unwanted behaviour. If the child, still wants to undress, take them in to their room or bathroom and tell them that undressing only in bedroom or bathroom and restrict them from coming outside. Long term Under the coaching of a Behaviour therapist, the child can be taught to better convey/communicate his feelings. This would help in minimising such attention seeking behaviour. Introduce an importance of privacy -Train the individuals to wear or change clothes in private, behind a closed door. This will drive a sense of privacy, and the need to practice it. How you react can have a big impact on the behavior. After having stopped NOTE : It is truly very hard to maintain calm in such situation and feel embarrassed. But please stay calm and instruct everyone else in the room to not react .
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Possible scenarios that may cause Kapil to react by undressing his clothes Is he using this behavior to escape his current environment? Is his reaction triggered around certain people or places? LACK OF ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Now that you have identified Kapil s inability to communicate his discomfort, what do you do? Short Term At home/school Analyze the structure of the classroom or assess people or situations around the child to arrive at the root cause of discomfort. Who or what is making him uncomfortable? Provide alternatives to the situations that the child is unable to cope. Long term At home If the child is non-verbal use social stories or alternative communication devices to describe the discomfort with regard to their environment. Teach the child to ask for help when in the presence of people or situations that make him uncomfortable. In the privacy of one s own home, recreate this by asking your child to describe his discomfort at school or other places. Role play can help in controlling response in public settings.
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Possible scenarios that may cause Kapil to react by undressing his clothes Kapil appears frustrated and helpless Lashes out for no apparent reason has a meltdown Discomfort due to medical reasons medications MEDICAL PROBLEMS COMPOUNDED BY LACK OF ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri Now that you have identified medical issues as the root cause of Kapil s behaviour, what do you do? SHORT TERM: Go to a Pediatrician/General physician/Psychiatrist (if on behaviour altering drugs) Assess medications he is currently on. It is possible to have behavior outbursts owing to, multiple medications(conditional). Consult with your doctor to assess medication being given. If there are far too many, then review the course of medication. There have been situations where stopping the medications significantly improved the child s habit of undressing (But, mostly because the child is not able to communicate the discomfort caused by the medication and not because the medication was causing the problem behaviour). At home Teach the child to ask for help when having bodily discomfort This can be achieved through speech sign gestures picture exchange. LONG TERM: Improvement in communication skills (verball or non-verbal) will help in communicating bodily discomfort without resorting to behavioural outbursts.
Undressing in public Expert advisor : Snigdha Indukuri NOTE TO THE PARENT HELP PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTHY BODY IMAGE Place a full size mirror in the bathroom for your child to explore their body in the confines of the bathroom in private. Curiosity to explore themselves could also be a reason they are keen to undress every now and then. You may use visuals through social stories to teach them the importance of dressing up. This may also drive a purpose to dress and groom well. Having a plan and being consistent will help you identify the root cause and solve the issue.
