Behavioural Issues - Helping Child Form Friendships

[Yolanda]

Hi all

In the center I work we have a child with FASD. with extreme behavior issues to the point were non of the staff wont to have any thing to do with him except the director and my self and the other children don't wont to be any were near him.


Has any one got any ideas for experiences I can do to help him be able to engage and form friendships with the other children and educators.


Thanks

Yolanda

[Lorina]

Children tend to sense the surrounding environment so if other educators are tense around this child then the children will be as well. First off I think you need to manage the child's behaviour and from there you can begin to form friendships for this child. Have you heard about Crossing The Midline.

Crossing the Midline

Imagine a line dividing your body into right and left sides. Crossing Midline includes any activity that requires one side to cross into the other side. Imagine using both hands to put on your shoes and socks, brushing your teeth, using your tongue to manipulate food from one side of your mouth to the other, combing your hair, reading, writing, etc.

Symptoms:

Children who do not cross midline often do not develop hand dominance which should be determined by age 5. Children who do not cross midline often show symptoms including:

poor fine motor control (immature pencil grasp, poor manipulation skills)
poor bilateral coordination (catching a ball, cutting skills)
poor upper/lower body coordination (jumping jacks, riding a bike)
poor right/left discrimination
becoming “stuck” in mid-reach and having to switch hands

Gross Motor Activities

Cross crawls (bring your opposite hand, or elbow, to your opposite knee)
Behind-the-back cross crawls (touch your right hand to your left food behind your back so the child uses body awareness instead of vision!)
Sit criss-cross and throw a ball to a target on the opposite side of the body (look for core rotation). Gradually increase the angle of the throw.
Sit back-to-back (or for a group sit in a circle) and use trunk rotation to turn and pass an object (i.e.: ball). Remember to go 10-20x both directions!
Simon Says or Hokey Pokey for right/left discrimination i.e.: “Touch your left ear with your right hand”

Fine Motor Activities

Hand games (Patty-cake, etc.)
Bongo drums (may have to use stickers to match opposite hand to opposite drum)
Restrict one hand, and use opposite hand to reach/grasp a variety of items, remember to reverse so both preferred and non-preferred hands are used. (i.e.: Memory game cards, puzzle pieces, anything!)
Place x10 coins or playing cards as a semi-circle across the table. Make sure child is exactly in the middle of the table and does not lean over to compensate. Use one hand to flip each item over than the opposite hand to flip over again.
“Infinity 8” – draw a horizontal 8 on the table, or better yet on a vertical surface such as a mirror or easel. Position the child exactly in the middle then trace the 8 with both hands together, then right, then left. Do 5-10 loops per hand. This can be especially fun with shaving cream and toy cars to make a “racetrack” on your table or window
Wand play: Make a “Racetrack” (figure 8), “Ferris Wheel” circles (in front), and “Helicopter” blades (overhead) with bubble wands, streamers, scarves, ribbons, etc.

Ref: Crossing The Midline

You can probably start with these sorts of activities and get other children involved as well.

,
Lorina

[Lorina]

Also, Yoga is fantastic in helping children support and manage their behaviour. Even a 10-minute yoga session for children will help tremendously!

,
Lorina

[davidoyama]

Yes, as Larina says, yoga is a great way to change that children's mind. First of all, you have to identify why he is behaving like this, when you teach him about yoga then you keep another boy or girl with you. Hopefully, it is working and he also befriends with others.

[Nandy84]

FASD children have poor coordination and impulsiveness with the other behavioral difficulties.

First of all, talk to him about what friendship means. Need to make him experienced in group playings. Maybe it will be difficult at first and he may show unwillingness to participate in any group activities. But need to allow some time for him to become accustomed to the group activities.

Create a bond with him over common interests. That will help him to show trust in you. Slowly he will start to obey you.
Study body language and facial expressions. They sometimes become unable to express their likings and dislikings. Try to help him in those by studying his facial expression and body language. That will enhance the bonding between you ad the student.

Positive reinforcement is also important to make him motivated.

All these together will help the student with time to make bondings with others.

Thanks
Nandita