available to observe. Things to look for include:
- Too much noise
- Disorganized space
- Other kids in his personal space
- Other kids “picking” on him
Over the years, I have seen over and over again that splinter skills are the root of bad behaviors. On a monthly basis a child is referred to me for “bad” behavior at school. I complete fine motor testing and determine that the child has significant delays in writing skills (and SO much of the school day is spent writing!). In addition, while I am testing, I see a very willing child misinterpreting my verbal directions. For example, I may say “sort” the cards, and he begins to “shuffle” the cards. I say “stand” on the bench, and the child “sits” on the bench. When I repeat myself or correct the child, he is often confused. Poor guy! He is trying, but he is not properly interpreting my words. This is where speech therapy can greatly help as well. The most common splinter skills I see missing include:
- Social immaturity
- Emotional immaturity
- Inattention
- Impulsivity
- Decreased expressive/receptive language skills
- Decreased handwriting skills
- Decreased self-help skills
- Poor motor planning skills
- Sensory processing disorders
If these splinter skills are not addressed, all of the behavior modification skills in the world will be completely ineffective. As I have mentioned in the past, most children would rather be viewed as bad than stupid! The good news is that summer is a great time to target splinter skills (though this can be done any time of year). Talk to your pediatrician about your concerns. They may give you a referral for an Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy evaluation. This is a great way to investigate the possibility of splinter skills.
This is where you can take proactive steps to address behavior concerns. Given all that you learn from taking a closer look at what has caused your child’s misbehavior, be prepared to talk to your child’s teacher and principal when the new school year begins. Set up a meeting and create a behavior plan to meet your child’s needs. If your child works with an occupational therapist, speech therapist, behavior therapist, or psychologist, then they can assist with this process as well. If you don’t have these professionals for support, you can also ask for the assistance of Arkansas Support Network at this behavior meeting. They are a wonderful free service here in Northwest Arkansas which helps out families of children with various special needs. They can not only help you navigate the school process, but other services as well.Several components of a good behavior plan include:
- A developmentally appropriate workload
- Frequent breaks (It is great if these breaks involve physical exercise which will also help address attention, motor planning, and sensory processing skills)
- Clear-cut expectations and consequences (consequences that do NOT involve calling the parents to pick up a child from school, except for the most extreme situations)
What worked for you and your school? What did NOT work? Again, it takes a
village! Please share your ideas!
Arkansas Support Network, a local Northwest Arkansas support agency
Children’s Therapy TEAM, provides occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and developmental therapy to families in Northwest Arkansas