1. Art Therapy for Children with Down Syndrome Balmes, Joie
Iryll T. Tan, Angelica Rose L. BEEd-SpEd 3
2. What is Down Syndrome? It is a genetic disorder caused when
abnormal cell division results in extra genetic material from
chromosome 21. This genetic disorder, which varies in severity,
causes lifelong intellectual disability and developmental delays,
and in some people it causes health problems. A few of the common
physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small
stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease
across the center of the palm - although each person with Down
syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these
characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.
3. What is Art Therapy? Is a form of expressive therapy that
uses the creative process of making art to improve a persons
physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It can achieve
different things for different people. It can be used for
counseling by therapists, healing, treatment, rehabilitation,
psychotherapy, and in the broad sense of the term, it can be used
to massage ones inner-self in a way that may provide the individual
with a deeper understanding of him or herself. It is sometimes
called creative arts therapy or expressive arts therapy, encourages
people to express and understand emotions through artistic
expression and through the creative process. The goal is to improve
or restore a clients functioning and his or her sense of personal
well-being.
4. Why do we need to use Art Therapy? As with most any therapy,
art as therapy is generally used as a treatment for something
usually as a way to improve ones emotional state or mental
well-being. Expressive arts therapy doesnt have to be used only as
a treatment though. It can be used to relieve stress or tension, or
it can be used as a mode of self-discovery. Many people can stand
to use some sort of creative outlet.
5. When do we use Art Therapy? Art therapy can be used to treat
a wide range of mental disorders and psychological distress. In
many cases, it might be used in conjunction with other
psychotherapy techniques such as group therapy or
cognitive-behavioral therapy. Some situations in which art therapy
might be utilized include: Children with learning disabilities
Adults experiencing severe stress Children suffering from
behavioral or social problems at school or at home People
experiencing mental health problems Individuals suffering from a
brain injury Children or adults who have experienced a traumatic
event
6. People with Down syndrome may find it difficult to speak
clearly and to express their thoughts and feelings effectively.
Many adults have a difficult time telling others about their
personal thoughts and feelings even when they convey strong
emotions through facial expressions and body language. (Cohen,
Nadel & Madnick, 2002, p. 224).
7. Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic service and form of
expressive therapy that gives kids the chance to participate in
creative, nonverbal expression through the use of art materials. In
other words, art therapy communicates when words simply
cannot.
8. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 1. Getting the child to start making art
The solution: Art making should be a pleasant experience, so make
sure to start with a fun activity that can be completed easily.
Scribbling is the best way for a child to practice fine motor and
pre-literacy skills, as well as art making. Creating an art
"starter sheet" for your child will decrease the anxiety and
intimidation they may feel when faced with a blank sheet of paper.
A "starter sheet" is essentially a piece of paper that you start by
placing magazine cut-outs or drawn items for your child to complete
on their own. Their inspiration and fun can begin quickly and
without apprehension!
9. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 2. Getting kids to stay on the paper The
solution: Using a tray with a lip can create a boundary and
automatically make it easier for kids to control materials inside
the space. You might already have an item in your house that can
service this purpose, such as a cookie sheet or even the top of a
gift box. Lining paper on a tray, sheet or box will keep your child
working inside the boundaries of the object and help them become
more aware of the paper limits.
10. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 3. Getting kids to stay inside the lines
The solution: There are several tricks you can use to create
boundaries, including lining the borders of your paper with Wikki
Stix or Bendaroos (brightly-colored, non-toxic wax sticks that can
be sculpted and adhered to basically anything). These waxy wonders
will create a small barrier to prevent your child from veering off
of the paper. If your child gets too distracted by the bright
sticks, squeeze thin lines of Elmer's glue all around the edges and
let dry to create a clear, invisible boundary. Don't have time for
glue to dry? Use colorful masking tape around the edges
instead!
11. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 4. Getting kids to look at their work The
solution: Use a large piece of foil or sand paper as the art
surface. Kids can paint, draw with crayons, or collage on these
surfaces for a little extra sensory input when making art. More
options include using a stand-up table mirror, table easel, or an
actual window in your home. Window crayons, window chalk, or window
markers can be used on these surfaces and your child will love
drawing on their own reflection or on outside scenery.
12. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 5. Getting kids to touch sticky stuff The
solution: Contact paper or Saran Wrap. These are great transition
materials and your child can try to place pieces of tissue paper or
magazine pictures onto these different textures. Getting their
fingers to occasionally tap down on these paper substitutes will
help ease them into the feel and texture of sticky substances.
Helping them peel foam stickers to decorate an art piece can also
expose them to "the sticky" while maintaining the fun!
13. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 6. Getting kids to touch squishy stuff The
solution: For getting kids more comfortable with paint, try helping
them get used to touching the squishy texture while keeping their
hands clean. First, squeeze paint onto a large surface of Saran
Wrap, then top with another layer of Saran Wrap. Now your child can
use their hands on the paint texture without getting dirty! Still
experiencing some tactile defensiveness? Try using a brush or
stamps on the Saran Wrap surface for beginners. Kids might
eventually take to rollers, which offer movement, sensory
stimulation and fun.
14. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 7. Getting the child to complete an art
activity The solution: Depending on attention span, alternate the
art activity with a sensory activity such as sand tray play or
squeezing some Model Magic. Some kids simply can't sit, so my focus
becomes increasing their attention span through a non-conventional
mode of art making. In those cases, tape a large mural paper on a
wall outside or use gravel on the ground as a surface. You can also
tape a large piece of paper underneath a table while the child lies
on a mat or foam wedge as they paintlike the next
Michelangelo!
15. The following troubleshooting tips to offer you as much
success in Art Therapy: 8. Introducing the child to art images The
solution: Exposing the child to other art is a great first step to
creating and developing new visual imagery in the brain. Laminated
museum art cards are perfect to introducing kids to new colors and
images. Children also love the Touch The Art Series by Julie Appel
and Amy Guglielmo, board books that incorporate famous works of art
into a story. Every picture has texture touch spaces to make each
page interactive and fun!
16. Lets watch a VIDEO! https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_o3i6y5kojc