One way to start out is with an informal behavior analysis. For a couple of weeks, keep a record of every time your child has a behavioral flare-up. Jot down the time of day, what preceded the event both right before and earlier in the day, what consequence, if any (negative or positive), followed the event, and any sensory factors that might have been present. Look particularly for things that you know to be a problem for your child — sounds, smells, body positions, physical movements, fabrics, people standing too close, and so on.

After two weeks or so, review all your notes and look for patterns. Does your child tend to misbehave in particular places? At certain times? Before or after certain activities? If your child tends to misbehave at some times and not others, and the times can be linked to his sensory integration problems, that's a good sign that sensory integration techniques will be more helpful in addressing the behavior than traditional discipline.

In fact, traditional discipline may make matters worse, adding to your child's stress, confusion, and feelings of abandonment and misunderstanding. On the other hand, if there seems to be no pattern and no explanation for your child's behavior, and he seems to be showing some willfulness and manipulation, then you may be better off using other measures to address it.