Behaviour is communication and it happens for a reason. We all learn new behaviours, because we do what works for us whether is it good or bad. We adapt to the environment around us. For many children, getting their needs met is often a major struggle. Most times, it is easier for them to push, scream, or even hit because with consistency, they learn that this is how they can get what they want. However, it is important to recognise the function of their behaviour.
I read an article recently that suggested children laugh about 300 times a day. (Alas, for adults, this was suggested to be approximately 15 times a day).
The sound of laughter is contagious and can trigger a domino effect of joy and amusement. More importantly, there is a significant body of evidence that supports the mental health benefits of laughter (e.g., Oosthuizen, 2021; Ruch & Hofmann 2017; Simmons-Mackie & 2003 and Sullivan 2000). A summary of these benefits in therapy includes: (more…)
Having emerged from a prolonged period of lockdown, many of us are more acutely aware of the importance that the role socialisation plays in our lives. The absence of social support for many of us has intensified our perceived ability to navigate a particularly stressful period of our lives.
Social support has been defined as the perceived supportiveness of significant social relationships (Paykani et al., 2020). Social support (family, friends and significant others), provides a means to manage stress in the domains of cognition, emotions and behaviours through a perceived ability to cope, a dilution of affective responses and altering maladaptive behaviours (Cohen, 2004).
As adults, we are constantly using visual support to navigate through our day-to-day activities. Things such as maps, calendars, our to-do lists, even our watches are visual aids. So why not provide similar support to our learners on the ASD spectrum?
What are visual aids and why do we use them?
Visual aids are picture, objects, sign language or text that enhance the understanding of spoken word(s) communicating a concept or idea. It helps children with ASD to process the whole message of information. For individuals diagnosed with autism, many are visual learners. When used effectively, visual aids have great potential for facilitating and enriching the socio-communicative contexts experienced by children on the spectrum.
COVID-19 outbreak has shattered many personal and professional lives. Together we faced withdrawal, hopelessness, difficulties in concentration, feeling of being less productive, disturbed sleeping and eating habits. Many people felt sad, anxious, and unhappy. During these uncertain times it is important to count our blessings. Try gratitude! It is as powerful as possible.
“We SURVIVED the first Lockdown!” July 2020, while some families scream out of frustration and relief, others reflect their achievement and gain. One shared experience from parents is “I never knew my child CAN do that!” The imposed Lockdown has brought out the challenges, along with the opportunities for families to connect, or reconnect. No doubt about the challenges, we are well informed by the news and critiques. I would like to spread some antidote reflection from parents and families with children on the spectrum.
As parents, we often worry about our children and sometimes we are not sure how to respond to them in given situations. This is common for parents around the world.
The image on the left is thought provoking because it shows us the interactions between parents and children at times, and perhaps we (as parents) do not even realise it. The message from the image is to connect with our children with all our attention. Too often, parents feel or report that their children do not pay attention to them when they (parents) want to talk to them or that they (parents) seem disconnected from them. As parents, It is important to ask ourselves “how present are we when we are with our loved ones, not only with our children?” What is the real presence at the moment? Too often, we are present with our bodies but not our minds (as our minds are full of demands and not in the moment).
How well the being residing within your body feels?
We often think of ourselves as just a body and forget that the “being” residing within this body is the real “YOU”. This being within you is made up of a plethora of experiences, actions, thoughts, activities and behaviours. The health of the being within us plays a colossal role in the quality of life we experience here on this earth as a humans. This contributes to the bigger picture that is our overall state of wellbeing, which affects our day-to-day enjoyment and comfort.
“Say lolly or I won’t give you lolly”. How many times do you find yourself saying this sentence? As parents with a child with a severe language and speech impairment we often try to elicit our child’s speech by asking them to say the word before giving them their favourite food or toy. How many of us have stopped to reflect and wonder “Does this strategy really work?”
Let us have a look at what the research says.
Emotional regulation refers to a person’s ability to understand and manage their emotional responses to situations. Toddlers are often witnessed throwing, what is loosely described as tantrums, in shops when they do not get the toy they want. They are incredibly sad and do not yet understand their own body’s response or know how to express their unhappiness. Imagine for a moment: You are watching a clip exploring a mountain range. Suddenly your body starts feeling hot, your palms become sweaty and your heart beats faster. You do not understand what is going on and do not have the words to describe it someone. This is what it might be like for a child experiencing big emotions.
