My experiences working with children with autism spectrum disorder

My experiences working with children with autism spectrum disorder

Who am I?

First, let me tell you that I am not an expert in child care or diagnosing behavioral or developmental problems in children. These are just my opinions and experiences as a childcare provider and as a nurse at our center.

Last year, me and my friend, a special education teacher, decided to set up a care center for children who had absolutely no knowledge or realistic expectations of what to expect. Little did we know that caring for young children would take us on a rollercoaster ride of experiences that will help us grow as early childhood educators and caregivers.

We work closely with developmental pediatricians, healthcare professionals (if needed), speech and occupational therapists. In the future, we would also like to collaborate with other child care providers, child care providers, behavioral scientists, and other professionals in our region to properly profile all children ages 4 and under and collect data that will be available for researchers, policymakers, and students to use for study.

The modern toddler

In our center we care for normal children and those with special needs. Particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and those who are hearing impaired. In this article we will mainly talk about ASD and daily interactions with our children.

It's no secret that today's toddlers are far more adapted to technology than we were ever used to. And this is, to some extent, a positive achievement for many of us who previously only “dreamed” about technology, watching it on bulky TVs or reading about it in encyclopedias and almanacs.

On the other side of the coin, the same technology is making many of our children less sociable and therefore many have developed behavioral and developmental problems. In our daycare, as of August, 3 out of 10 of our children still do not speak by the age of 3, and the same ratio of children is shownCharacteristicsof the autism spectrum or another disorder (no eye contact, little to no speech, food and toys, tipping, meltdowns, reduced social skills, solitary play, aggressive behavior, repetitive speech, play and action, head pounding, etc.).

Children with special needs do best when integrated with children who do not have developmental or behavioral problems. Play and peers are very important in helping them open up more and ultimately learn to communicate their wants and needs.

Diagnosis and after

When we notice a child's ASD traits, we invite both parents to show them how we evaluate the child's basic skills and the signs or characteristics we have noted in their child. At the end of the session we ask them if they would be interested in attending a development pedia in the city.

The doctor would usually suggest one or a combination of the following:

1. Hearing test (to rule out impairment),

2. continuous child care (to improve socialization),

3. Speech therapy (to improve or correct speech),

4. Occupational therapy (to improve dexterity, control and mobility) and

5. some other specific medical and psychiatric tests,

6. Follow up on a specific date

It is fairly easy to identify children who are “at risk.” Lack of or limited eye contact and speech at a certain age usually means something is wrong and is usually the first thing we notice in our children with ASD.

The hardest part is not identifying these characteristics but rather informing parents of the possibility of a developmental problem. Denial and resentment are things many parents go through, but we make sure we are there every step of the way. If they have declined a referral to a developmental physician, we do not hold it against them.

It is important that we convince these parents and guardians that high-risk children see professionals who can then properly diagnose them immediately. However, it is also important to consider their feelings and their right to make decisions for their children. Knowing the diagnosis is essentially the first step to understanding, reaching, and communicating with a child with ASD.

Initial diagnoses are not always absolute, even doctors need a lot of time to carry out tests and collaborate with other professionals to make a correct diagnosis and suggest the most appropriate management for the high-risk child.

Ways to communicate with children with ASD

1.Face the child while playing or teaching something.

Children with ASD usually practice solitary play and do not seem interested in us caregivers and the other children. Most, if not all, of our “high-risk children” were initially absorbed in their own worlds and didn’t really like interacting with playmates. Facing the child gives you the opportunity to enter his world and participate in children's play.

2.Catch their attention when you want to say something to the child.

When you are facing the child, tap his shoulder and call his name when you want to show or tell him something. You can even hold his face and look directly at him until he does the same and looks at you again.

3.Each one command or one piece of information.

Teaching children with limited focus can be very frustrating at times, and it's best to keep things simple. Build their vocabulary by teaching them one word at a time. Observe what they like to do “in the moment” and base your lesson on those stimuli.

For example, I once noticed that one of our children with mild autism was very interested in how I repeatedly rolled the pencil on the table. I knew I had his attention because he giggled as the pencil kept moving and he looked at me expectantly. Then I stopped, held the pencil and said “ROLL” as I showed him how it was done. I rolled it again, this time holding the pencil a little longer to see if it would get my hand and my movement to make me do it again. To my delight, he said “ROLL!”

4.Stop if the child is not interested.

If the child can no longer sit still, stop and give him something else to play with. If he doesn't notice anything, sing his favorite song! Additionally, if you notice him returning to repetitive speech or actions (e.g. running back and forth), distract him with toys or hold his face, call his name, and direct his attention to break the repetitions.

It is also important to note that some children with ASD may appear uninterested but will actually listen to what you say while they are busy doing things themselves. Each child shows a different “bored” cue and it is important to recognize this and give them enough time to rest.

5.Be generous with praise and be consistent.

Sitting still, following simple instructions, prolonged eye contact - these are all tasks and milestones. Praise and congratulate the child for success and trying, even if it can be very difficult at times. On the other hand, correct bad actions and explain why they should not be repeated again. Children learn when you help them follow rules consistently and when you carefully explain the reasons for such rules.

6.Use the different senses.

Sensory integration is important for children with ASD. The sense of touch is a very powerful tool to attract their attention. For this reason, therapists apply massage and gentle pressure to help children concentrate better.

Look for ways to make the activities fun. Music and dance are popular with those who need to constantly move to concentrate. In our experience, these two activities consistently get them to participate during circle time. They especially love action songs and we would make them listen to these songs for days until we see that they are having fun.

Sand baskets are also excellent ways to stimulate their senses of touch. We also use them to trace shapes, numbers and letters.

7.Involve normal children in their games/activities.

Toys and understanding playmates are important for every developing child. At our center, we have the interdependent role of making our ASD clients feel comfortable and teaching our mainstream children to be more patient and understanding with their autistic classmates. Toddlers are naturally selfish at first, but with constant reminders and guidance, they learn to value their friends and build good relationships with all of their playmates.

These are just some of the things we do at the center to help our children with ASD open up a little, concentrate better and “communicate” what they want with words. It sometimes takes them a painfully long time to learn new words, but they can still communicate in many other ways. Crying, pointing, holding, and directing your hand to do something - these are all means of communication!

Importance of early childhood care and education

Early care and education for all children (especially those with special needs) is beneficial for early intervention. Trained professionals can easily identify developmental and behavioral problems in young children.

However, not all early childhood care and education providers are the same. They must be gentle, consistent and compassionate and the service should reflect what a child would learn in a healthy and loving home.

Parents should never feel like they have deficiencies when leaving their children in a daycare or daycare center. The center staff, classmates/playmates and parents can work together to provide the best environment for ALL children to grow and learn optimally.

Inspired by Karen P Gabato