Continuing the previous article about increasing initiation in toddlers with Autism in daily life, we now look into how to create opportunities for children between the age of 3 to 6.
- Developing full independence in self-help routines. At the age of 6, children should have already acquired the skills of bathing self independently, using restroom (including cleaning-up), dressing self, and brushing teeth, and carry out all the steps in each routine without difficulties. To achieve accuracy and fluency, they must possess the required fine motor skills, and practice the steps repeatedly. We should also pay attention to the ability of maintaining privacy during the routines. For example, they should make sure the door is locked every time they use the restroom, and they should fix their clothes after dressing and using restroom.
- Assigning household chores. Starting from the age of 3, parents can already assign chores to children to increase their attention and effort at home. Simpler tasks can be putting toys away after play time, putting clothes away after shower, and watering plants. For older children, chores are more elaborate which require children to focus for a prolonged period and to attend to details. Some ideas are setting up table for the right number of people, packing school bag in which he has to look for the right items around the house, and refilling water and food for pets only when necessary. From time to time, we can create disruption and obstacles in these chores to create opportunities for them to try out different ways to solve problems.
- Collaborating with parents in complex household chores. Beside completing chores independently, children can also cooperate with their parents in complex routines, like washing car, baking, doing laundry, etc. Initially, we need to instruct them what to do in the process, but when they are familiar with the process, we should fade our instructions and require them to observe us and help us when needed.
- Allowing children to actively follow and observe us in the community. We are very used to holding their hands tightly all the time when we walk with our children, but it does not encourage them to pay attention to us as well as the environment as they are led and protected by us. In a safe setting, we can allow children to walk next to us without holding our hands, so they have to keep paying attention to us to follow us. When holding hands is necessary, instead of us holding their hands, children should be the one who hold our hands persistently. To further encourage children to observe and learn from us, after we stop and interact with others, like lining up, paying at the counter or ordering food, we can ask them about what we have just done, like what we have ordered, what the cashier has said, etc.
Overall, when we realize ourselves keep telling our children what to do, it is time to identify what they can do themselves, teach more necessary skills required in daily tasks, and create opportunities for them to take initiation to complete a task independently or collaboratively with us.
Information provided by Autism Partnership
Autism Partnership (AP) is one of the most established Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) service providers for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the world. Formed in 1994 in the United States, AP is run by professional clinicians and specializes in providing one-on-one therapy, group interventions and overseas consultation for children with ASD and their families.
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[:zh]繼續前一篇關於在日常生活中增加自閉症兒童主動性的文章，我們這一次探討如何為3至6歲的兒童創造提高主動性的機會。
- 發展完全獨立的自理規律。在6歲時，孩子們應該已經可以自己洗澡，如厠（包括清理），及刷牙，並且每個規律都可以毫無困難地執行所有步驟。要準確和流暢進行這些規律，他們必須具備所需的精細運動技巧，並反複練習這些步驟。我們還應該注意自理中所需的保持隱私的能力。例如，他們應該確保每次使用洗手間時門都被鎖上，他們應該在穿衣和如厠後確保自己穿好衣服。
- 分配家務。從3歲開始，父母已經可以為孩子分配家務，以增加他們在家的注意力和努力。簡單的任務可以是在玩耍後將玩具收好，洗澡後將衣服扔掉，以及給盆栽澆水。對年齡較大的孩子，家務應該更加複雜，需要孩子們長時間的專注並留意細節。這些家務可以是為家人準備數量正確的餐具，收書包時必須在家裡尋找合適的物品，並在必要時為寵物補充水和食物。我們也不時會在這些家務中製造干擾和障礙，為他們創造嘗試不同的方法來解決問題的機會。
- 與父母合作完成複雜的家務。除了自己完成家務之外，孩子還可以與父母合作完成複雜的家務，如洗車，焗蛋糕，洗衣服等。最初，我們需要指導他們在這個過程中做什麼，但是當他們熟悉這個過程時，我們應該減退我們的指示並要求他們觀察並在需要時幫助我們。
- 在社區中讓孩子們積極關注及觀察我們。當我們和孩子一起走路時，我們習慣一直緊緊握住他們的手，但我們過多的主導和保護不利他們關注我們和身邊的環境。在安全的環境中，我們可以讓孩子不牽著手在我們旁邊走，令他們必須時刻留意及跟隨我們。當需要牽手時，不是我們握著孩子的手，而是他們主動牽著我們。為了進一步鼓勵孩子觀察和向我們學習，在我們停下來與他人互動之後，比如排隊，在櫃檯付款或點餐後，我們可以問孩子我們剛剛做了什麼，比如我們買了什麼，收銀員說子什麼，等等。
總括來說，當我們意識到自己不斷告訴孩子該做什麼時，是時候確定他們自己可以做什麼，教授更多日常生活所需的必要技能，並多創造機會讓他們自己主動完成任務和解決問題。
資訊由Autism Partnership提供
Autism Partnership （AP）於1994年在美國成立，是全球最具規模為自閉症患者提供『應用行為分析』(ABA) 治療的專業機構。AP是由多位專業臨床心理學家、應用行為分析治療顧問及治療師管理，為患有自閉症譜系障礙（ASD）的兒童及其家庭提供一對一治療、行為干預小組訓練及海外諮詢服務。
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