Taming Tantrums part 1
A professional music therapy colleague wrote about a student who displays very explosive behavior when she leaves after a home-based therapy session. The therapist is looking for some ideas for decreasing the tantrums and for equipping the family with some effective strategies for dealing with similar issues at home.
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Any plan for dealing with explosive behavior really needs to be customized to the situation and to the individual. Teachers, therapists, job coaches, families, and others can encounter similar challenges. Just to get the creative juices flowing, I will share a strategy used successfully with a youngster in similar situation. Under these circumstances, we were helping shape behavior of an elementary-aged youngster with good receptive language skills and emerging reading skills.
1. PREPARE IN ADVANCE. If possible, have a family member take several photos of the youngster throwing a fit. Plan a series of very short activities for the upcoming music therapy sessions. Prepare a visual cue card with a picture of a green traffic light and a photo of the youngster playing guitar. On the other side of the card, have a stop sign and a photo of the youngster in the midst of a tantrum.
2. INTRODUCE THE PLAN. At the beginning of your next music therapy session, show him the “go” side of the card and tell him that you expect him to act like an 8-year-old so he can enjoy music therapy and have a mint when you leave. Show him the “stop” side of the card and remind him of his behavior the last time you were leaving. Show him the video if possible. With some youngsters, I actually demonstrate their previous behavior by crying and screaming, imitating the youngster.
3. EXPLAIN AND PRACTICE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR AND CONSEQUENCES. Look at the youngster and say something to the effect of, “That is how a 2-year-old acts. You will STOP acting like that when I leave.” Point to the stop sign, then turn to the “go” side of the card. Smile and say, “When I leave today, I expect you to act like an 8-year-old. You will stand at the door, wave, and say, Goodbye Ms Cathy. If you do that, I will give you a treat,” Walk with him to the door, show him how to wave and say goodbye. Have him practice, then show him a mint (or a small treat that fits his dietary needs and that he REALLY likes.) Then say, “You will be a sweet 8-year-old when I leave. You will stand by the door, wave and say goodbye. If you do that, you get a mint.” Then look right into his face and say, “If you cry or scream like this (demonstrate), I will eat your mint. I mean it.”
TIP FOR THE DAY. Don’t miss tomorrow’s podcast. You will want to click on for part 2 of this description of one option for dealing with temper tantrums. Every situation and every person is different, so this is not a sure-fire method, but this approach has helped a number of youngsters learn the advantages of keeping their temper in check.
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 a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. 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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