FAQautism

When we spend time with a person every day, we can inadvertently overlook strengths or simply not notice tiny steps of progress in target areas. Let us look at an example from a real-life situation.

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A youngster in second grade was having trouble with his hands – grabbing objects from other kids, pinching and hitting other kids and adults, and grabbing arms, hands, and faces of other people.

Although he was gradually learning to be a “good sitter” with his hands on his knees, progress had been very slow. And the incremental bits of progress in this target area had been somewhat obscured by the development of a new behavior – that of loudly repeating every word or sound he heard in the classroom.

Upon closer review, teachers and other recognized the youngster’s grabbing and pinching in group activities had actually decreased rather dramatically, albeit at a snail’s pace. Two years ago, the youngster grabbed, hit, or pinched an average of 20 times in 15 minutes. Slowly but surely, that average has decreased to less than three times in 15 minutes.

Because improvement in that target area had been so gradual, and because a new disruptive behavior was present, it was easy to overlook the fact that, for the most part, he was keeping his hands on his knees and he rarely grabbed others in group activities.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Pay attention! Slow progress and distracting challenges can prevent our recognizing gradual steps toward target goals, even when we document the details. It helps to stop occasionally and reflect on progress, even when it seems nonexistent.

It also helps to recognize our need to sharpen our own skills so we can effectively address challenging issues in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources: http://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 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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