Behavioral Intervention Planning for Young Children with Asperger Syndrome

These are generic practices to consider implementing. Once these are in place and have been implemented for an appropriate amount of time (one month for every year that the behaviors have been in place), the residual behaviors can be discussed to determine if a functional behavior assessment is required.

Children with Asperger Syndrome need the following:

1. Structure- a set pattern that is followed every day

a. The child with Asperger Syndrome needs to know about anticipated deviations in the schedule in advance so they have time to put it into the loop of information that is playing in their head.

i. Much like children like to watch the same cartoons over and over again because they can predict what is going to happen next, children with Asperger Syndrome like the comfort of knowing that reading is always after lunch, or naptime is always after a story.

ii. Any kink in the movie loop is apt to set them into a tantrum.

b. If there is a chance that something may be different, this can be built into the loop.

c. Click here for a picture of a visual schedule. Even if the child can read, they are thinking in pictures. The picture schedule will help them get the “loop” running in their head.

2. Relationship Narratives- stories that depict the events and how they will unfold throughout the day.

a. The child with Asperger Syndrome has no idea why it would be important to listen to what someone else is saying.

b. They should be the “star” of the relationship narrative; which, will help them assimilate themselves into the story loop.

c. Click here for a sample relationship narrative made for a student about their day.

3. Barometer reading- “Where I am on the Richter Scale.” There are many different ways to teach the child to understand where they are and where they need to be. One of my favorites is the “Incredible 5-Point Scale”. http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9936.htm - This is one of those books that once you use it, you will purchase it time and again for other students. It is well worth the money. It is extremely helpful.

4. Sixty Beats per Minute- This is the resting heart rate. If a child has aggressive behaviors, we know that their heart rate is accelerating as high as 140-150 beats per minute about one minute prior to the aggressive act. Using music like Gary Lamb’s 60 beats per minute is an excellent calming tool to allow the child to regulate their heart beat. http://www.musicintheclassroom.com/ You can also download one of his songs on i-tunes for 99cents.

5. Token Economy- Many times people write and say that a child is not motivated by candy or toys. The truth is, most kids are not motivated by candy or toys in the long run. The function of most behavior is either to get attention or to get out of work. Therefore, the payoff for the token economy needs to be either attention from a preferred adult or peer or perceived escape from a boring task. Two examples are listed below:

a. Attention from an Adult- Hypothetically, let’s say that Cameron loves dinosaurs and knows every fact there is to know about becoming a herpetologist. However, attempts to give Cameron plastic dinosaurs have been met with, “I don’t want that”; “You can keep it”; or “That sucks.” If this is true, then it’s not the trinkets that Cameron is seeking, it is the chance to sit down and talk to someone about dinosaurs and explain everything he knows.

i. Cameron, could have a relationship narrative about expected behaviors such as respecting others by being quiet when they are working. Every time he is caught being quiet, he is given a small pot holder loop to put on his wrist like a bracelet.

ii. When Cameron has earned 5 pot holder loops, he can go to the library and talk to the librarian about dinosaurs and possible make a PowerPoint movie about dinosaurs for her to use in an upcoming class.

iii. Cameron could earn 15 minutes to go down to another class and teach them what he knows about dinosaurs.

1. Attention from others and talking about his beloved subject are his desire – not the plastic dinosaurs.

b. Escape- Let’s say Cameron is really having behavioral issues because he wants to escape what he perceives as boring Math.

i. Let Cameron earn the same pot holder loops for exhibiting appropriate expected behaviors. When he has earned 5 loops, he can do a different assignment that is actually the exact same math assignment except it is written in story problems about dinosaurs instead of just plain math addition facts.

1. Hint- there is probably an older child who would be an ideal candidate for writing these story problems as a reward for their appropriate expectations.

6. Social Autopsy (LaVoie 1994)- What to do when things go wrong.

a. When things go wrong, do an autopsy of what went wrong, where it went wrong, and what to do differently next time.

b. This helps put a loop in the child’s head of what to do the next time the same thing happens.

7. Reading for the adults about Asperger Syndrome:

a. Three good books that will give you insight into the minds of someone with Asperger Syndrome:

i. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time- by Mark Haddon

ii. Born on a Blue Day- by Daniel Tammet

iii. Look me in the eye- by John Elder Robison