Helping Parents of Children with Autism Better Engage and Communicate with Their Children
Objectives
– Move from a deficits based to a differences based approach to interaction
– Describe the unique interpersonal needs of people with autism spectrum disorders
– Identify characteristics necessary to form secure attachments
– List at least 5 practices that caregivers and teachers can use to improve connection with children on the autism spectrum.
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Think of a time
– You were totally overstimulated (Laguardia, wedding)
– You were exposed to high levels of sensory input (concert, cologne, O2B)
– You had something wrong, but couldn’t seem to explain it (Car, computer, overwhelmed but don’t know why…)
– Did you feel safe-
– What was your mood-
– How was your concentration-
– What were your thoughts-
Secure Attachment/Connection
– Helps people feel safe and loved.
– Requirements (CRAVES)
– Consistency in routines and expectations
– Responsiveness (mirror and soothing)
– Knowing child’s distress triggers and cues
– Providing early intervention
– Accommodating the child’s learning style & environmental preferences
– Attention
– Praise the positive / UPR
– Validation of feelings, thoughts and needs
– Empathy
– Solutions: Identify ways to prevent and mitigate distress
Special Needs
– Language and speech
– Slow speech development or not talking at all
– Trouble or inability to start a conversation (or to keep it going)
– Constant repetition of certain words or phrases
– Difficulty expressing (communicating) one’s desires or needs
– Failing to understand humor and taking things too literally
– Using single words when communicating
– Failing to understand simple questions or sentences or slow processing
Special Needs
– Social Interactions
– Failing to understand and respect other people’s personal space
– Difficulty understanding other people’s gestures, body language, reactions, and feelings
– Not responding to one’s name being called
– Lack of desire to interact with other people
– Difficulty making friends with kids of the same age
– Avoiding eye contact
– Not enjoying situations and events that kids usually love
– Not showing interest in other people’s interests
Special Needs
– Behavior
– Repetitive movements (stimming)
– Being obsessively interested in one area or topic
– Playing with toys in a repetitive way (for example, lining the blocks all the time instead of building with them)
– Insisting on a certain familiar routine or order
– Unusual sensory manifestations (like sniffing toys or people)
– Being hypersensitive to certain textures, sounds, or light
– Being sensitive to touch and reacting negatively to it
Skills
– Focus on the positive. Praise what is good. Be specific. Praise not only behaviors, but also who they are.
– Use positive discipline and redirection (Tearing paper)
– Stay consistent and on schedule
– Have routines to ease transitions (vibrating notifications)
– Take your child with you during everyday activities
– Select playmates with similar language and physical skills.
– Invite only one or two friends at a time at first, and have a zero-tolerance policy f