HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM SPECTRUM INTERVENTION GROUP

Gaining Instructional Control

For the past 6 years I have worked in numerous home programs with children on the spectrum. During this time I have had the privilege to meet many loving parents, dedicated grandparents, and supportive brothers and sisters in each of these homes. And although each family had unique behavioural challenges that they wanted their child’s at-home team to address, the one constant always seemed to revolve around something called instructional control. Of course, the comments usually weren’t phrased in such terms but rather came out like this: “He seems to really listen to you…I can never get him to do (x, y, z). How did you do that?”.

My answer to these queries was always, “I’ve worked really hard on gaining instructional control”

But what is instructional control?

Essentially, instructional control refers to our ability to gain a child’s willingness to follow our instructions and do the many things we ask him or her to do. At Spectrum Intervention Group, we have found Robert Schramm’s “Seven steps to earning instructional control with your child” to be a helpful resource.  You can find this resource at: http://www.autismbehaviorconsulting.com/pdf/InstructionalControl_7steps.pdf.  By following the steps outlined below, you too can start gaining instructional control with your child.

The seven steps to earning instructional control with your child

By Robert Schramm, MA, BCBA

1)    Show your child that you are the one in control of the items he wants to hold or play with and that you will decide when he can have them

Then, an easy way to start gaining your child’s willingness to listen to you is to give him simple demands he is likely to follow. An example of this is giving your child things he likes like pieces of chips while giving him the instruction to eat them. Another example might be giving him multiple cars to put down the ramp when he’s sitting nicely beside you and then hold the last one back a little until he looks at you or asks for the car.

2)    Show your child that you are fun by making each interaction you have with him an enjoyable experience

Pair yourself with fun toys and activities that your child is motivated to engage in by:

1)    Giving him ‘freebies’, where you don’t always expect something in return for an item

2)    Use non-verbal and declarative language mainly (i.e. it’s better to manipulate the items and make silly sound effects and comments than to have your child see you as ‘the one that always asks questions and expects something in return!’)

3)    Say what you mean and mean what you say

When you give your child an instruction, expect him to follow through on it. Do not reward your child for escaping a demand you’ve placed on him by letting your instruction go unfulfilled. If you’ve asked him to sit down to eat his snack and he hasn’t sat down, do not give him his snack until he has complied with your request.  By being consistent in following through on your demands your child will learn that it is in his best interest to listen to what you say.

4)    Show your child that following your directions is to his benefit and the best way for him to obtain what he wants

Once you have control over your child’s preferred items/reinforcers you can use them to support any appropriate behaviours/instructions he demonstrates. The more you reinforce a specific behaviour, the more it will increase. By that same principle, if you do not reinforce behaviour it will not increase.

5)    In the early stages of earning instructional control with your child, reinforce after each positive response moving to an ever increasing variable ratio of reinforcement

Schramm states that as your child’s willingness to follow your instructions improves, you can move from a reinforcement ratio of one to a variable ratio (VR) of 2 to 3. This means that at the beginning, you need to reinforce every instance of a specific behaviour. Once this is consistent, you can work towards reinforcing him after every second time he engages in that behaviour and so on (ex. Initially you might have to reinforce him after every time you ask him to sit down on his chair in order to increase this behaviour. After he starts to demonstrate this behaviour more consistently, you can work to reinforce him after every second or third time he engages in this behaviour).

6)    Demonstrate that you know your child’s priorities as well as your own

Know what your child likes and wants and use those items to your advantage when teaching. Remember, your child needs to be able to work for a wide variety of reinforcers in order to avoid satiation/diluting the value of a particular reinforcer (i.e. Chocolate chip cookies might work as a reinforcer for a while but eventually there’s a good chance that your child will get sick of them. If you don’t know what other powerful reinforcers your child is willing to work for, how would you reinforce him after the cookies lose their effect?).

7)    Show your child that ignoring your instructions or choosing inappropriate behaviour will not result in the acquisition of reinforcement

Be consistent in what you expect from your child. If you ask him to do something, withhold reinforcement until he has followed through with your request. If you say no, then that should mean no, no matter what inappropriate behaviour he engages in (i.e. crying and repeated requests for an item will not result in the acquisition of the item you have said no to).

Stephanie

IEP's

Hi everyone - it is that time when the first IEP of the year is due.  (The IEPs are due 30 days into the school placement).
Many parents have reported that they do not feel as prepared as possible for the IEP and don't fully understand how they can contribute.

Here are some websites that might be of interest:
1.  For general info - please see:  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/speced.html

2.  Once there, click on "The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee" for more info on the IPRC process.

3.  For further info on the IPRC process - please see: 
Highlights of Regulation 181/98 - http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/hilites.html
*This includes information such as who can request an IPRC and who can attend, and what is decided at an IPRC meeting.

4.  Further information on the individual education plan - (IEP) - please see:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/individu.html
From this link, it is noted that:   "An IEP identifies the student's specific learning expectations and outlines how the school will address these expectations through appropriate accommodations, program modifications and/or alternative programs as well as specific instructional and assessment strategies."
Note - once at the link noted for the IEP - there are links to two documents that will be of interest.

5.  I would also recommend taking a look at PPM 140 - Incorporating Methods of Applied Behaviour
Analysis (ABA) Into Programs for Studens with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/140.html, which identifies two main requirements for school board staff:

a) School boards must offer students with ASD special education programs and services, including, where appropriate, special education programs using ABA methods.
b) School board staff must plan for the transition between various activities and settings involving students with ASD.

Lynne

A parent’s holiday weekend survival guide

With the Thanksgiving weekend fast approaching it seems like a good time to prepare for the hustle and bustle of family visits and dinners.  For a child on the spectrum this can mean changes in routines and a decrease in predictability, thus resulting in an increase in problem behavior and stereotypy.

Here are some tips to help things run smoother:

·         Choose your battles:

o   This is not the weekend to teach new goals and work on emerging skills.

o   For example, if your child is refusing to say hi to “Great Uncle Jon”, can you please both parties, by selecting a greeting that your child finds easier to engage in, while “Uncle Jon” feels acknowledged.  How about giving a high five or even a wave instead? Reduce the effort so that your child has a greater opportunity of being successful.

·         Don’t over plan.   Leave room for downtime.

o   Be sure to schedule time for you and your family to have some quiet time.  Holiday’s can quickly become over-planned and under-enjoyed.   Make a conscious effort to create opportunities for your child to access preferred activities – even if it’s something that you typically don’t like to promote (such as movie watching, computer use, even repetitive use of cause and effect toys) let things slide a little this weekend so that your child has an opportunity to unwind and get away from all of the demands that come with holiday celebrations.

o   If a walk in the woods with Grandma and Grandpa is on the agenda, sandwich it between 2 preferred activities.  Try not to plan back to back engagements that could be perceived as very effortful by your child.

·         Whether it’s for dinner or an overnight stay – bring activities

o   Visits with larger groups of family can be overwhelming and over-stimulating for most of us.  For a child on the spectrum, this can hold even truer.

o   Bring favorite activities and toys from home.  This will offer a sense of comfort and predictability to your child’s weekend.

o   Allow your child to be away from the group, where they can access their things in a manner that is not disruptive to everyone.

·         Make a schedule

o   You can either write it out or use pictures depending on your child’s abilities.

o   Go through the schedule in advance and reference it frequently throughout the weekend to ensure that the child understands what is happening. 

o   With more information provided to your child about their weekend schedule, the more likely problem behaviours can be decreased or even avoided.

·         Now is not the time for brussel sprouts…

o   Holiday foods are often rich and flavourful and could be foods that we don’t eat on a regular basis.  Lets face it – who has gravy smothered stuffing pulled out of a turkey more than a couple of times a year?

o   Choose your battles – this is not the time to worry about a limited food repertoire.  You have the rest of the year to focus on that.

o   Bring some back up food items to ensure that your child does not go hungry in the face of brussel sprouts and green bean casserole.  Things that will help them to enjoy their holiday dinner too.

·         Relax

o   This is your holiday too.  You deserve a break.  Schedule down time for yourself – a book, bed or bath is well deserved.  Make sure to make time.

Emily

Sensory Fun with Foam

Tactile sensory experiences are one of the easiest to create.  Lots of items have their own texture and feels that can be fun to play with.

If you child regularly seems to be looking for tactile feedback:

·         Craves touch, needs to touch everything and everyone

·         Repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing

·         Seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback

·         And thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play

     Here is a tactile sensory activity that may be fun for them.

Playing with Foam

What you need:

·    Shaving foam – there are lots that are hypoallergenic or for sensitive skin

·    Something to put the foam in or on – we use a large container but you could also play with it on a table top (you may want to put down a plastic table cloth because it will get messy).

·    Any other toys that your child likes and can get messy

·    Anything you want to add to enhance the fun. Some ideas are; paint, coloured water in spray bottles, sparkles.

What to do:

·    Spray the foam and play

Why it a great activity:

·    It can be easily modified to the level of any child. Examples: You can practice simple mands/requests or long sentences.  You can practice receptive instructions or having your child label items and give a peer directions. Anything is possible.

Some examples of what this activity can promote:

·    Doing a fun activity together pairs yourself with positive reinforcement

·    Can be used to elicit mands/requests of all types; asking for an item, answering where questions, yes/no manding, etc

·    Can be used to build language.  Examples – practice prepositions, following directions, giving directions, attributes, etc.

·    Help fill a sensory need for the child

·    FUN!!!

Anne 

The Sky is the Limit

I have recently been exploring Twitter. I am trying to keep up with technology as I am always looking for things that may be helpful for the individuals I work with. One of the interesting things I am following is The Autism News (@theautismnews).

The Autism News recently shared a story about a high school senior in South Jordan, Utah. Nathan Christensen has earned every possible Boy Scout badge. In total he earned 132 badges. His mother said she wasn’t sure he would ever accomplish this, especially some of the things like whitewater rafting, but they set the goal and aimed for it and he did it.

This was a great reminder that if we don’t set goals for our kids, they will never have the opportunity to achieve them. We need to set large goals and systematically work toward them. As we move toward the ultimate goal, we need to celebrate all the little achievements along the way.

I realize that not all of our kids are going to achieve the end goal. Sometimes our end goals for our kids are too lofty.  However, I believe our kids will be further ahead if we aim for the stars and land on the moon.

Remember, the sky is the limit!

Kristen

Book Review - Cipani's Children and Autism motivates

Children and Autism:  stories of triumph and hope. 

Ennio Cipani, 2011.  New York:  Demos Medical Publishing.  169 pages.

This book is a compilation of stories of children with autism who have achieved best outcomes.  The stories are told by ABA practitioners (with the exception of one who is both a practitioner and a parent).  While not as detailed in narrative form as is Catherine Maurice’s “Let me hear your voice” it is a collaborative testimonial of the possibilities achieved through intensive ABA with children who for the most part presented with significant deficits and autistic traits.

Each child’s profile is described in detail.  Each child had a program tailored to his or her needs and the family’s wishes.  All programs were intensive and most were carried out in the home (but some did occur in specialized schools or ABA centres).  Many of the children went to school and their diagnosis of autism was never disclosed let alone suspected.  These case studies truly underscore the importance of early and intensive ABA intervention.

The professionals who worked on each case study used a chronological map to indicate what was occurring when (for instance, when they introduced generalization, when they worked on theory of mind skills).  With some programs the professional offers some detail as to how a particular skill was taught.

One of the main points I took away from this book was the importance of joint attention.  Each professional targeted this important domain.  Some even shared ideas (actual descriptions of programs) they used to achieve joint attention.  The author also devotes a chapter to joint attention, its importance and a few suggestions for activities.

I enjoyed reading the book because there were seven different children who received treatment from different practitioners and in the end, they all achieved best outcomes.  I love knowing that success [in terms of best outcomes] is attainable and possible for children with autism.  From a parent’s perspective, I found this book quite motivating:  it encourages parents to take autism by the horns and run an intensive program with parental involvement.

Debbie