Picking Your Nose
Sally, a student in an elementary classroom, has a rather obsessive habit of picking her nose throughout the day. This youngster with autism is very resistant to reminders to keep her hands down or to use a tissue. She shouts, flaps her hands, and turns away from adults when given verbal prompts. She loudly refuses to wash her hands or use hand sanitizer after picking her nose. A new strategy introduced last week has captured Sally’s attention and seems to be decreasing the incidence of nose picking.
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This youngster really tunes into written words in books and on papers. She also focuses intently on songs and other music activities. Sally’s teachers and music therapist devised a quick strategy one morning when her nose-picking was absorbing her attention and preventing her from participating in classroom activities. The primary goal was to introduce an effective prompt to interrupt Sally’s nose-picking. In order to prevent shouting and stubborn refusal, the prompt needed to be stated in positive terms and needed to describe an alternative to picking her nose. One teacher printed a picture symbol labeled “Hands down, please.” The music therapist wrote improvised song lyrics to “A Song for Sally” on the paper beside the picture symbol.
Hey, there, Sally, keep your hands clean.
Hey, there, Sally, keep your hands clean.
Keep your hands on the table,
Keep your hand on your knees,
Keep your hands in your pocket,
Don’t touch your nose, please.
If you must, use a tissue
and wash your hands with a smile.
Hey, there, Sally…….keep your hands clean. Oh, yeah.
The youngster seemed intrigued with the concept of a song using her name and describing a real situation in her life. She kept her hands away from her nose for the remainder of the hour and participated in a number of group music activities. If all goes as planned, the teacher will be able to use the paper as a gentle visual reminder throughout the school day until Sally’s distracting and unsanitary habit fades away.
We welcome your input about nose-picking and other habits. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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