Strategies for Michael

When Michael started kindergarten at Jaffrey Grade School, we met with the IEP team. Chris and I were insistent that Michael have IEP goals on behavior.  We wanted him to meet with the behavior specialist or counselor frequently and work on strategies to help him with melt downs and social skills. The team was hesitant at first.  Michael hadn't shown many behavior problems, at least not yet.  When we had gone up to the CHAD clinic at Dartmouth Hitchcock, Lebanon the previous summer, the autism specialist and the doctors there said that it would be imperative that Michael get on a behavior plan of some sort.  Their foresight and the way Chris advocates for his kids has helped Michael be as successful as he is today.

I don't think the teachers really took it seriously until Michael started hitting a child in his class for whistling.  The noise was extremely irritating for him.  From that point on, Michael has been seeing the counselor and working on different strategies and social stories.

Lifesaving strategy #1 Big Problem/Little Problem

The first strategy that has been very beneficial is the "big problem/small problem" chart.  This chart is posted on our refrigerator, and also at school by Michael's "quiet" area.  This is how it works.  We are in the grocery store the other day and I tell the twins that they can get a bottled water to drink because they were very thirsty from swim team practice.  Michael puts his water bottle on the conveyor belt first, Mikayla then puts her bottle down second on the conveyor belt.  The cashier rings the bottles through and Mikayla takes the first bottle that comes down the line.  Now the water bottles are EXACTLY the same.  You guessed it, Michael starts to have a melt down.  "THAT'S MINE!" he shouts and almost starts to slump to the floor of the supermarket.  I calmly say, "Michael?  Is that a big problem or a little problem?"  Michael takes in a deep breath, "I think it is a little problem."  I say, "Right Michael, the two water bottles are the same.  It doesn't make a difference.  You will both get to drink the water."  Major Melt Down AVERTED!!  Yea for the Big Problem/Little Problem chart and for months and months and MONTHS of working on this strategy!


Lifesaving strategy #2- STOP

This is how this strategy works for Michael.  Mikayla is singing the songs from music class for their spring concert.  Mikayla likes to sing and take over most conversations.  We are in the car going to swim team and Mikayla is singing the leprechaun song.  Michael doesn't want to hear the song anymore and wants to play the "riddle game".  Mikayla, not wanting to stop the singing, continues to press on becoming louder and more annoying to Michael.  Now instead of Michael yelling, having a fit, crying, hitting or biting her, he looks at her and tries to make a polite face and says, "Please stop".  Sometime he forgets the other part of the process (naming what exactly he wants her to stop), but he is really trying!  Melt down averted.

The other day the twins were arguing about something at the dining room table, it started to escalate and I could hear Michael on the verge of a melt down.   I called in to Michael, "Michael look at the stop sign on the refrigerator!"  He broke off the argument with Mikayla, ran into the kitchen, read his sign  quickly, said under his breath, "Oh yeah, right!"  Then he ran back in and started to apply the strategy and asked Mikayla to stop whatever she was doing.

These strategies not only work for my HFA Michael, but they work for his bossy and sometimes irritating sister!  I think it would work for many siblings! 

Lifesaving strategy #3- Check-In

When we see Michael getting upset and frustrated, not listening to directions or getting "stuck" on one train of thought (inflexible thinking), we ask Michael to "check in".  We use those exact words, "Check in Michael."  We take both of his hands and squat down so we are at his level.  He doesn't have to look at us, as direct eye contact can be almost painful for autistic children.  He DOES have to acknowledge us and say, "Yes, I'm checked in."  Then we have his attention and he is in a position to calm down and listen.  We offer hugs at this time too because he needs that deep pressure.  Usually the "check-ins" help solve a lot of issues.  We ask Michael what the problem is. We give him a lot of wait time and try to understand what he means exactly (sometimes his expressive language is hard to figure out and he can't find the words to explain what he means). 

These strategies are working for Michael.  I don't know if they will work with all autistic children, but maybe if the strategies help somebody, then this blog would be worth it.  Even if it helps only one family.