When My Autism Gets Too Big!

Kari Dunn Buron www.5pointscale.com

TEACCH

Some stuff we know

• People with ASD seem to learn best within predictable routines

• People with ASD seem to be able to learn concrete and systematic information

• People with ASD do not appear to attend to relevant social information

• People with ASD have high levels of anxiety, particularly associated with social interactions

Tony Attwood

The more someone understands emotions, the more he or she is able to express and control them appropriately.

Relative weakness

in emotionalizing

Use asystem

to teach socialemotional concepts

Strength insystemizing

When My Autism Gets Too Big

• Based on the 5-point scale

• Objective is to introduce a name for the problem as well as a calming sequence for explosive behavior

• Based on ideas from Yale’s research regarding OCD in Children (How I Ran OCD off my Land)

Raymond’s 5-Point Scale

• 5 = screams and hits self

• 4 = hands on ears and voice fluctuates up

• 3 = repetitively recites statistics

• 2 = hesitates (his body), may say “uh..oh”

• 1 = watching TV

The Incredible 5-Point Scale

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Breaking difficult concepts into 5 parts

• A system

• Make it small as a visual cue to increase chances of generalization

Research studies have established that CBT is an

effective treatment to change the way a person thinks about and responds to emotions such as anxiety, sadness and anger.

6th Grade Girls

• 5 = illegal (“I’m hungry)• 4 = scary; she may not want to be around

you (starring)• 3 = may make her a little uncomfortable

(giving the face and singing)• 2 = playing a game of Sorry and talking• 1 = saying hi in the hallway and just

walking on

Buron

Buron, Manns, Schultz and Thomas

Why is this important?

Stress and anxiety can playa significant role in triggeringunwanted behavior and yet direct teaching of relaxation is rarely seen on the IEP or the BIP.

Claire supports 3 goal areas

• Relationship Building• Nonverbal Social

Communication• Relaxation

Routines (frameworks)

• Repetitive series of interactions (familiar)

• Make interactions easy and successful (feeling competent)

• Can add to them (shaping behavior)

• Can add variety to them (increasing flexibility)