Hitting - Any Ideas?

[Guest]

We have a Downs Syndrome child in our main stream foundation class who constantly hits other children. We know the reasons why he does it - partly frustration at not being able to communicate, partly to communicate he doesn't want other children around him and partly to get attention.

He is almost 5 but is a 12-18 month old developmentally. His comprehension is limited and he doesn't comprehend feelings, he doesn't respond to praise or differences in tone of voice. When he hits he often hits the children who are likely to cry or make a fuss. If you say 'nicely, gently, say hello etc' he will stroke the other child two or three times before hitting them again. He mainly hits/scratches the eyes or mouth and has drawn blood on a number of occassions.

Does anyone have any experience of this and how have you dealt with it?

Thanks

Jo

[Guest]

Sorry Jo but we also had the same behaviour from a little boy with Down's Syndrome. We tried many things, we had a happy and sad face we would show him but this made him worse. He would also target timid children but left alone the children who hit back. We just kept him busy, I know when he went into reception he spent most of his time out of the classroom.

It was difficult enough to differentiate the activities for him in the nursery but he needed his own programme in reception.

[Guest]

Thanks for that Mimi

We had the educational psychologist in observing him today (he was quite tired and lethargic today so she didn't see him as he normally is - typical), but she told us to keep going with the strategies we are using, and he will eventually get fed up/grow out of it, (hopefully as he matures he will start to copy some of the other children aswell although that may be some time...)

Jo