Hi everyone,
I have 3 children in my Reception class with ASD (we keep being recommended by the Ed Psychs) and we've just had some training by the LEA which was fantastic. However, I'm really struggling with one child in particular.
A bit of background. This child attended nursery in another school and was very badly treated by them he was never allowed in the class or to mix with the other children. He couldn't use many of their resources and was placed in the corridor with an untrained dinner lady almost constantly. If there was an incident he was sent home, usually before 10.30am.
He's a lovely little boy and has very supportive parents, however, he now has several learnt behaviours in addition to his ASD and it's these I'm finding difficult.
I think he now believes that if his behaviour is bad enough, he will be sent home.
Basically this is what happened Friday, (sorry it's long)
After snack, C’s mood changed suddenly when I began the story and he began waving and making noises before eventually jumping up and down and laughing, looking as though he was trying the get the attention of me and the other children. I asked the other children to turn away from C and look at me when I was reading the story.
When continuing with the story became impossible over the noise he was making, I asked him to sit down and he began running around the carpet area and slapped three children across the back, causing two of them to cry.
I told C to sit down in the reading area (where he usually sits to calm down) and he lay on the floor kicking and screaming. I then kneeled down near to C and said, “C, come to me” holding out my arms to him. He initially complied and I was able to lead him towards the reading area. Just as he was about to sit down he scrammed my arms and attempted to bite my hand. I ignored this and returned the carpet area.
As soon as I sat down C picked up a chair and threw it towards the fire door. He immediately picked up another chair and lifted it up high, aiming it towards the carpet. I said loudly, something to the effect of “C, put the chair down. Chair down” and walked towards him. C smiled and laughed and it seemed to me he was going to throw the chair towards the children on the carpet. I then stepped between the children and C; he then lifted the chair high near his head and threw it at me. I then said “No C, sit down.” He did sit down at this point and began crying loudly and repeating, “C throw chair” and seemed distressed.
Most of the other children in the class were also quite distressed and I was really shaken by it. As much as I'm for inclusion, I am concerned for the safety of him, the other children and actually the staff.
I spoke to the headteacher about this and she said "that's the way it is" which to be honest wasn't very helpful!
Any advice would be great!
2
Help With An Asd Child
Started by Ffydd1984, Sep 18 2011 08:31 PM
17 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 08:41 PM
oh dear 
this is very difficult for all concerned. What help is already in place for him? does he get 1to 1 assistance for any part of the day/week. Is he statemented?
Was he warned about the story time (is this a difficult time for him usually?) ...do you have things like visual timetables in place. You may need to reinforce the fact that this sort of behaviour is not allowed/makes you sad/makes others sad and will not result in him being sent home!! one of the things we often teach the other children is to stand up for themselves ...so to look at the child in question and shout loudly NO (we add the makaton sign to this too)...but this depends on the child and wether the word NO is acceptable...sorry rather a lot of questions there!
this is very difficult for all concerned. What help is already in place for him? does he get 1to 1 assistance for any part of the day/week. Is he statemented?Was he warned about the story time (is this a difficult time for him usually?) ...do you have things like visual timetables in place. You may need to reinforce the fact that this sort of behaviour is not allowed/makes you sad/makes others sad and will not result in him being sent home!! one of the things we often teach the other children is to stand up for themselves ...so to look at the child in question and shout loudly NO (we add the makaton sign to this too)...but this depends on the child and wether the word NO is acceptable...sorry rather a lot of questions there!
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 08:58 PM
Thank finleysmaid for your response,
I used the technique of children shouting no last year with my last class, hadn't thought of it this year, will be doing that tomorrow.
He does have support for 15 hours, just the mornings and we have just applied for more.
We have a visual timetable and I think it does help.
Story time isn't usually any more difficult than any other time, we had PE for the first time that day though and he had found that really exciting so I don't know if he was overwhelmed after that.
I used the technique of children shouting no last year with my last class, hadn't thought of it this year, will be doing that tomorrow.
He does have support for 15 hours, just the mornings and we have just applied for more.
We have a visual timetable and I think it does help.
Story time isn't usually any more difficult than any other time, we had PE for the first time that day though and he had found that really exciting so I don't know if he was overwhelmed after that.
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 09:18 PM
does he have a motivating factor? (like cars or trains) can you use this to negotiate doing a 'first this then that' type system? so first sit still for story then cars...so that he gets a reward for being 'good' /or a large sand timer for good waiting. ...why do you think he created such a fuss was it the story that he didnt like /the stopping what he was doing or the fact he had to sit with the others. ...so difficult to get to the bottom of things like this sometimes,if it happens again why not try and implement an ABC chart to try and work out what the starting point is.
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 09:28 PM
He has a few, Peppa Pig and balls mainly, he also loves the home corner.
Haven't tried a timer - that's a great idea.
Can't work out what is was that triggered it, I think he finds snack time fairly stressful, we don't give him a choice now because he can't cope with it and we give him his own cup - that seems to help.
I think he wants to be involved with the other children and just doesn't really know how.
Haven't tried a timer - that's a great idea.
Can't work out what is was that triggered it, I think he finds snack time fairly stressful, we don't give him a choice now because he can't cope with it and we give him his own cup - that seems to help.
I think he wants to be involved with the other children and just doesn't really know how.
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 09:34 PM
i have had a few little chaps who need a 'fiddle' item for quiet times ...can you give him a small peppa pig item to keep him quiet during story time...dont worry about him not listening ....but if you can get him to behave in a more acceptable way within the group this helps. Also if possible perhaps try to do some ball games 1-1 then 1-2 then small group to try and get him working with others. he will want to make friends but need support before he drives them all away!
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Posted 18 September 2011 - 10:18 PM
There are a few things which come to mind when reading your description.
Firstly, in addition to a visual timetable, you may need to tell him before an activity what will be happening and what will be expected of him. You could show him the book beforehand, use one which is familiar to him if possible for a while and let him know how long it will take.
This is also the time to give him an opportunity to tell you if there is something which he might find difficult. Once his anxiety levels have gone up he may very well not know himself what the problem is or he may not be able to put it into words. If you want to talk an incident like this through with him to find out what triggered it you need to wait for at least an hour. Then it must be at a time when he is feeling the most calm and relaxed he can in school. Talking to him when he's kicking off is probably pointless because he won't be able to process thought or language properly when he's anxious.
Have you done a sensory audit of the space you use for story time? There may be a sound or smell which is distressing him or perhaps it could be other children being close enough to touch him. Could you try giving him a hoop to sit in or a beanbag to sit on to give him some better defined personal space? Could it be the texture or colour of the carpet?
Fiddles could help as suggested above. If he doesn't put things in his mouth you could allow him to hold a piece of white-tack, a string of small paper clips, a few pieces of Tangle or you can buy sensory fiddles and chewy toys online which might help him.
When you're speaking to him try to make your language very clear and direct without niceties ("Chair down" was perfect) and use his name at the beginning of every sentence so he knows you are speaking to him. If you use this all the time it may help him to be less anxious generally.
If he is sensitive to noise, teaching other children to shout at him may be counter-productive. I use the word STOP clearly and calmly while putting out the flat of my hand to reinforce the instruction. Perhaps the other children could be taught to do this?
Maybe you change the time of storytime so it doesn't immediately follow snack time. If he finds them both stressful perhaps he needs something lass demanding in between to reduce his anxiety.
It may also help to meet his parent and get a really good picture of what he finds difficult or stressful at home and what they do to make life easier. They may not realise how many small adjustments they make until they really think about it with you. Working with them is probably the best way to figure out how to help him.
He needs to learn that he won't be sent home and that may take a while. Like finleysmaid I wonder if perhaps you and his parents should tell him that clearly too. He also needs to learn that actions have consequences so make sure he understands the impact of his actions on the other children, is asked to make amends/tidy up later when he is feeling calm. This should be done in a constructive way and not as a punishment. If he's been distressed and communicated the only way he knew how at the time then punishing him won't help.
Don't place too much importance on his facial expressions. He may not be aware that smiling is inappropriate or he may be unaware that he is doing it.
Hopefully your calm, consistent approach will eventually help him to feel safe in your classroom and this behaviour will decrease.
Firstly, in addition to a visual timetable, you may need to tell him before an activity what will be happening and what will be expected of him. You could show him the book beforehand, use one which is familiar to him if possible for a while and let him know how long it will take.
This is also the time to give him an opportunity to tell you if there is something which he might find difficult. Once his anxiety levels have gone up he may very well not know himself what the problem is or he may not be able to put it into words. If you want to talk an incident like this through with him to find out what triggered it you need to wait for at least an hour. Then it must be at a time when he is feeling the most calm and relaxed he can in school. Talking to him when he's kicking off is probably pointless because he won't be able to process thought or language properly when he's anxious.
Have you done a sensory audit of the space you use for story time? There may be a sound or smell which is distressing him or perhaps it could be other children being close enough to touch him. Could you try giving him a hoop to sit in or a beanbag to sit on to give him some better defined personal space? Could it be the texture or colour of the carpet?
Fiddles could help as suggested above. If he doesn't put things in his mouth you could allow him to hold a piece of white-tack, a string of small paper clips, a few pieces of Tangle or you can buy sensory fiddles and chewy toys online which might help him.
When you're speaking to him try to make your language very clear and direct without niceties ("Chair down" was perfect) and use his name at the beginning of every sentence so he knows you are speaking to him. If you use this all the time it may help him to be less anxious generally.
If he is sensitive to noise, teaching other children to shout at him may be counter-productive. I use the word STOP clearly and calmly while putting out the flat of my hand to reinforce the instruction. Perhaps the other children could be taught to do this?
Maybe you change the time of storytime so it doesn't immediately follow snack time. If he finds them both stressful perhaps he needs something lass demanding in between to reduce his anxiety.
It may also help to meet his parent and get a really good picture of what he finds difficult or stressful at home and what they do to make life easier. They may not realise how many small adjustments they make until they really think about it with you. Working with them is probably the best way to figure out how to help him.
He needs to learn that he won't be sent home and that may take a while. Like finleysmaid I wonder if perhaps you and his parents should tell him that clearly too. He also needs to learn that actions have consequences so make sure he understands the impact of his actions on the other children, is asked to make amends/tidy up later when he is feeling calm. This should be done in a constructive way and not as a punishment. If he's been distressed and communicated the only way he knew how at the time then punishing him won't help.
Don't place too much importance on his facial expressions. He may not be aware that smiling is inappropriate or he may be unaware that he is doing it.
Hopefully your calm, consistent approach will eventually help him to feel safe in your classroom and this behaviour will decrease.
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Posted 19 September 2011 - 02:19 PM
Great advice given already. I just wanted to add that we had a child with ASD last year who sometimes found it difficult to sit for story/circle time. We gave him his own square carpet mat and allowed him to sit on that each time we sat down as a group e.g. assembly, register, story time. It really seemed to work, he actually became very possesive over it and others were not allowed to sit on it.
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Posted 19 September 2011 - 06:18 PM
Do you have visual aids to show what you expect of the children's behaviour at storytime (ie: legs crossed, eyes looking, ears listening, hands still etc)? Then you can refer to them to show what your expectations are.
You could set up his own reward system. I once had a little boy with autism who loved Thomas the tank engine, so we made him his own chart to collect little Thomas's on and when he had received the right amount (this started small and increased over the year) he was able to access his 'Thomas treat' box which we had Thomas books and puzzles and games in. You could base yours on Peppa pig, his parents may have Peppa pig themed things at home that you could use for the 'treat'.
We also had a specific piece of carpet (different to the one we used for sitting on the carpet) that was brought out for him to sit on when he needed space to calm down, instead of using an area of the classroom. That way there were no negative feelings attached to any area of the room. We didn't keep it out all the time, we just brought it out when it was needed and placed it somewhere where he couldn't hurt himself if he rolled around.
You could set up his own reward system. I once had a little boy with autism who loved Thomas the tank engine, so we made him his own chart to collect little Thomas's on and when he had received the right amount (this started small and increased over the year) he was able to access his 'Thomas treat' box which we had Thomas books and puzzles and games in. You could base yours on Peppa pig, his parents may have Peppa pig themed things at home that you could use for the 'treat'.
We also had a specific piece of carpet (different to the one we used for sitting on the carpet) that was brought out for him to sit on when he needed space to calm down, instead of using an area of the classroom. That way there were no negative feelings attached to any area of the room. We didn't keep it out all the time, we just brought it out when it was needed and placed it somewhere where he couldn't hurt himself if he rolled around.
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Posted 19 September 2011 - 08:39 PM
Thanks all some great advice.
Already doing the very simple commands without the niceties and always address him by his full name. He does also have a "spot" for sitting on, placed a short distance away from the other children and we do also encourage him to use the reading area carpet (which is well away from everyone else) when he is stressed out because this does usually calm him down.
He does have a bit of a fascination with the carpet and likes to take his shoes and socks off sometimes and feels it with his bare feet.
We do have visual aids for behaviour on the carpet an display as someone mentioned. To be honest I'm not in the least bit bothered at the moment about him listening, just learning to sit down somewhere relatively quietly is what we're working on at the moment.
Will definitely have a chat to the parents and see if they can shed some light on the situation, it's the first time where it has not been clear what caused him to become stressed.
He has been a bit better today. The Senco seems to think there is a lot more going on here and is concerned about his aggression in particular.
Already doing the very simple commands without the niceties and always address him by his full name. He does also have a "spot" for sitting on, placed a short distance away from the other children and we do also encourage him to use the reading area carpet (which is well away from everyone else) when he is stressed out because this does usually calm him down.
He does have a bit of a fascination with the carpet and likes to take his shoes and socks off sometimes and feels it with his bare feet.
We do have visual aids for behaviour on the carpet an display as someone mentioned. To be honest I'm not in the least bit bothered at the moment about him listening, just learning to sit down somewhere relatively quietly is what we're working on at the moment.
Will definitely have a chat to the parents and see if they can shed some light on the situation, it's the first time where it has not been clear what caused him to become stressed.
He has been a bit better today. The Senco seems to think there is a lot more going on here and is concerned about his aggression in particular.
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Posted 19 September 2011 - 09:41 PM
Just another thought.
A small tent/den/beanbag and blanket to hide in or under could help him to calm down and cope. That physical barrier between him and the wider environment could give him a low-sensory input place to calm himself and reset his mood.
A small tent/den/beanbag and blanket to hide in or under could help him to calm down and cope. That physical barrier between him and the wider environment could give him a low-sensory input place to calm himself and reset his mood.
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Posted 22 September 2011 - 08:22 PM
He does have a blackout tent but it only fits in the corridor he uses it sometimes.
It's been a terrible day today, he's just spent all day running around hitting, kicking children etc. he tipped a whole water bottle filled with water over another child's head.
The other ASD child can't cope with it either everytime C acts up T just rocks on the spot, with his hands over his ears making noises, devastating because he had improved so much in his nursery year.
Most of the children are frightened of C now, neither me the other staff, his 1-to-1, the SENCO or now even his support ASD specialist teacher can do a thing with him and he's being assessed again because we fear there's a lot more going on with him, he seems really disturbed. Haven't ever met a child like him. I've completely run out of ideas to try to help him.
It's been a terrible day today, he's just spent all day running around hitting, kicking children etc. he tipped a whole water bottle filled with water over another child's head.
The other ASD child can't cope with it either everytime C acts up T just rocks on the spot, with his hands over his ears making noises, devastating because he had improved so much in his nursery year.
Most of the children are frightened of C now, neither me the other staff, his 1-to-1, the SENCO or now even his support ASD specialist teacher can do a thing with him and he's being assessed again because we fear there's a lot more going on with him, he seems really disturbed. Haven't ever met a child like him. I've completely run out of ideas to try to help him.
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Posted 22 September 2011 - 09:34 PM
Hi, you've had lots of good advice and it sounds like you're already doing a lot of the recommended things. My class are all autistic and we use lots of the strategies already mentioned. I just have a few questions before I suggest anything else...
Does he have his own individual visual timetable or does the whole class share one?
How is his communication? Does he speak/ sign?
Do you know about workstations? and have you tried one?
Do you have a specialist support school nearby? The school where I work in manchester is one and we have a cluster of about 50 mainstream schools in the area that we support. The most common things we do are to go into the school and observe the child, then have a chat with the teacher, giving tips and ideas about strategies and resources. Next the teacher often comes to visit our school in order to see the strategies and resources in action and then has a meeting with our outreach coordinator who will help them to make the resources they want to take back with them. We sometimes do follow up visits but this isn't usually needed. your SENCO should know if there is a support school near you.
Does he have his own individual visual timetable or does the whole class share one?
How is his communication? Does he speak/ sign?
Do you know about workstations? and have you tried one?
Do you have a specialist support school nearby? The school where I work in manchester is one and we have a cluster of about 50 mainstream schools in the area that we support. The most common things we do are to go into the school and observe the child, then have a chat with the teacher, giving tips and ideas about strategies and resources. Next the teacher often comes to visit our school in order to see the strategies and resources in action and then has a meeting with our outreach coordinator who will help them to make the resources they want to take back with them. We sometimes do follow up visits but this isn't usually needed. your SENCO should know if there is a support school near you.
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Posted 23 September 2011 - 02:37 PM
Hi a few years back I had a class with three similar children. PE was always a stress point and one child used to hide under my chair at story afterwards. We used a social story book that had photos and talked through the different stages of PE getting changed etc and that helped. He never came to assembly as it was felt the time wasn't of benefit to him so this time was used to read the book, go through routines and timetables of the day etc.
One boy also would throw things and hurt others when upset and it was hard making sure you put the safety of others first. At times I used to ask another teacher for the loan of their TA and I even took them outside for an extra playtime just to diffuse the situation. Short term solutions I know but it gave me time to ensure the others were safe and I could focus on calming the child down without adding to the distress of the class as a whole.
It's hard but keep a good relationship with parents and you'll look back at the year be surprised by how much progress you do make.
Good luck and remember to come back to the forum if you need us x
One boy also would throw things and hurt others when upset and it was hard making sure you put the safety of others first. At times I used to ask another teacher for the loan of their TA and I even took them outside for an extra playtime just to diffuse the situation. Short term solutions I know but it gave me time to ensure the others were safe and I could focus on calming the child down without adding to the distress of the class as a whole.
It's hard but keep a good relationship with parents and you'll look back at the year be surprised by how much progress you do make.
Good luck and remember to come back to the forum if you need us x
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Posted 24 September 2011 - 01:21 PM
Ffydd1984, on Sep 18 2011, 21:28, said:
He has a few, Peppa Pig and balls mainly, he also loves the home corner.
Haven't tried a timer - that's a great idea.
Can't work out what is was that triggered it, I think he finds snack time fairly stressful, we don't give him a choice now because he can't cope with it and we give him his own cup - that seems to help.
I think he wants to be involved with the other children and just doesn't really know how.
Haven't tried a timer - that's a great idea.
Can't work out what is was that triggered it, I think he finds snack time fairly stressful, we don't give him a choice now because he can't cope with it and we give him his own cup - that seems to help.
I think he wants to be involved with the other children and just doesn't really know how.
You can get autism timers which countdown visually as soon as th red has gone time is up
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