Children and Youth With Asperger Syndrome by Brenda Smith Myles

Author:Brenda Smith Myles
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781483304267
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2005-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

3. Decrease the stressors by modifying the requirements for disliked or difficult tasks and temporarily eliminating any emphasis on teaching new skills. To stabilize the school environment and stop the escalating crisis, we must increase supports immediately and reduce stressors. It is imperative that school personnel and parents identify specific situations that may routinely lead to tantrums, rage, and meltdowns (Green, 1998).

If the difficulty experienced in one area is of considerable magnitude, or if the student is experiencing difficulty in a number of areas, it is important that interventions be implemented on multiple levels concurrently. Thus, when supports are increased tenfold, the student is more likely to bounce back than if supports are increased individually over several weeks or months. It is important for the child or adolescent to receive some respite from stressors. For example, if a major stressor for the student is coping with the long-term substitute language arts teacher, the school team (including the parents) may decide that the language arts requirements may be modified for the next long-term assignment. Or they may decide that the student can receive language arts instruction in a resource room.

When the student is in a fragile emotional state, school personnel and parents must recognize the necessity of temporarily lowering their expectations. For example, the student may need to know how to write essays when she attends college, but that does not mean that in a crisis state she must practice writing every day. The more fragile the emotional state, the more crucial it is that the stressors be alleviated.

While reducing stressors, it may be important at the same time to provide more opportunities for the student with AS to engage in activities of high interest or activities that emphasize strengths. Omar derives considerable self-esteem from the fact that many teachers call on him to assist with computer problems. When Omar began having meltdowns during physical education (PE) class, a variety of interventions were put in place. When none of them proved successful, the school team decided to waive the PE requirement and build additional computer technical assistance opportunities into Omar’s daily schedule.

4. Make the environment more predictable and increase the use of home base. The student’s many environments should be reanalyzed to ensure a high level of consistency and to ascertain that the student knows the routine in each class. Priming may need to be used more frequently. In addition, the student may need to have written into her schedule home base periods that occur both prior to and following a class that is especially difficult. For example, Jerry’s homeroom teacher noticed that he is often on edge when he arrives at school. Knowing his interest in drawing cartoon figures, the teacher allowed him to come to the classroom as soon as his bus arrives, thus allowing him 15 to 20 minutes to draw and get himself ready to face the school day.

5. Balance stressors and learning. As the student with AS becomes more stable, it is possible to gradually increase regular demands.

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