May struggle with turn taking.

 

1. Use visual cards to show turn taking i.e. ‘My turn’ and ‘Your turn’ or green card for ‘Go’ and red for ‘Stop’.  Pair language with the visual cards when modelling turn taking.  Say ‘My turn’ and ‘Your turn’ whilst showing the corresponding card.

2. Use hand signals which ask them to wait their turn.

3. Begin practising turn taking with short waiting times between turns.

4. A timer may help count-down wait times.

5. Social stories™ may help to explain how turn taking works.

6. Practise with everyday things i.e. food ‘You take a bite’ then ‘I take a bite’ or dressing ‘You put on a sock’ then ‘I put on a sock’.

7. Take turns reading, asking questions, picking toys, cooking etc.

8. Use positive praise with all attempts and successes (unless they do not cope well with praise).

9. Use a ‘talking stick’ to take turns in conversation.

 

May intrude on other people's games/conversations.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

 

May take toys/objects from others.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

 

If they want/need something they will become fixated until that want/need is met.  Even small needs not being met immediately may lead to meltdown.

 

1. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

2. Use visual cards to show ‘waiting’.  Begin practising with short waiting times.

3. Use hand signals which ask them to wait. Begin practising with short waiting times.

4. A timer may help count-down wait times.

 

May interrupt.

 

1. No interrupting training.  Explain that they can’t interrupt whilst you are on the phone and then set them up with a task they enjoy.  Use plenty of praise when they manage to avoid interrupting.

 

May rush into tasks without listening to directions.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Set rules and expectations for situations.  Social Stories™ may help explain these expectations.

 

May speak out of turn or be openly rude.  Not thinking before they speak and being blunt and honest.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

3. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

 

May have difficulty controlling emotions.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

3. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

4. See Emotions in Anxiety section for advice.

 

May have frequent angry outbursts.

 

1. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

2. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

3. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

4. See Challenging Behaviour section for advice.

 

Impulsive actions mean poor tolerance to frustration, so may meltdown over small issues, without warning.

 

1. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

2. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

 

May struggle to manage their responses to events both positively and negatively.

 

1. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

2. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

 

May act suddenly without thinking i.e. run across roads, lash out at others, damage property.

 

1. Practise impulse control games such as Simon says.

2. Model good impulse control i.e. if you lose your phone, stay calm, look for it, re-trace your steps etc.

3. Use Social Stories™ that describe a certain situation.  They may include social rules and expectations.  This may include role play practise.

4. See Challenging Behaviour section for advice.

 

May struggle to see long term consequences of actions.

 

1. Use Social Stories™ showing consequences to help them understand what may happen in certain situations.

2. Discuss tasks/situations beforehand and talk about what may happen, any problems which may arise and possible outcomes.

3. Highlight situations during the day where there are more than one way of doing things.  Discuss the consequences and pick the best one.

4. Think out loud when planning, decision making, problem solving etc.

5. Ask questions out loud i.e. I wonder how we can do that?  Give two options, discuss what may happen and choose the best option.