A special needs child is left out in most social interactions usually. Specially the ones at school, and its not strange that these kids feel detached emotionally too. Working with special needs children is challenging and needs a lot more careful planning. Any effort or action that you take up, must be such that the special needs kid feels apart of the social setting. There are some more important points that every teacher or camp coordinator working with special needs child needs to understand. This will help making the experience for these children with special needs an enriching one.
Important points to consider when working with special needs children:
When you have taken the genuine task of working with a special needs child, it is important to be prepared as the road ahead is not going to be easy. There will be challenges at each step and you’ve got to be patient at all times. Be prepared and be confident as this special deed of yours can make a difference to someone’s life. Check out some important tips for working with special needs child:
1- Welcome open interactions:
Not giving due opportunity to the special needs children to interact is the biggest mistake anyone can make. These children are already with low self esteem and may not be confident at all to speak in the first place. The more you open those interactions and ease them out the better it is for these children to come out of their shells. It is great if you can talk out everything beginning from how you would proceed with your training and how the camp would proceed. The child would appreciate all details as surprises may not work well with special needs children.
2- Be observant and vigilant at all times:
Special needs children may not all be same, they may not even share their sorrows at all. They may also keep to themselves and not share anything, so its important to check the non verbal cues too. Keep looking for signs and capture them for a more beneficial interaction
3- Be flexible:
The most important virtue is to be flexible. Do not come up as a rigid person who is stuck with their own fancies. A special needs child needs all the more attention and care. Also giving them a little more independence and flexibility opens them up and brings a lot more comfort to them
4- Use multiple media to give instructions:
Not every special need child may be okay with verbal cues, give out visual and tactile clues as well. Some very specialized summer camps have singing instructors. This is not just a great way to connect with these kids but also a very soothing way too
5- Be consistent:
The most distracting part can be inconsistency when dealing with kids with special needs. They get confused and may end up getting detached or disinterested. It may also trigger their emotions and cause them a lot more grief than anything else.
6- Listen to them at all times:
Children with special needs are never listened with interest and this makes them drift away from people around. Have an open heart and listen to whatever they have to say, with extreme interest. This will help them build upon their self esteem and self image.
7- Give them everything which is concrete and tangible:
Most children with special needs have difficulty in understanding abstract concepts and they get disinterested with such activities and lessons. They largely measure each action with senses like touch, smell, hear, taste and more
8- Show them immense love:
Hugs and hand holdings must be made a part of everyday. The more you show love and care to special needs children the better they will accept you and open up to you. Immense love is what makes them appreciated and accepted the way they are, it also helps in bringing them out of their shells which they have it because of society’s disdain.
9- Make activities concise and short:
Special needs children may not understand elaborate activities and a large set of instructions. It confuses them to the limit that they begin ignoring them all completely. Try and make all the activities short and concise with direct commands so these kids understand them well and stay interested.
10- Having fun is very important:
When dealing with Children with “invisible” special needs, like ADHD, PDD, SPD, PBD, FASD, OCD, Anxiety, ODD, Autism and Asperger’s it is very important to make sure that environment is full of happiness and fun. The more these kids see monotony or boredom, the easier they drift apart from them.
Special needs children need a lot of love, care, appreciation, support, understanding, listening and consistency. They must be given importance at all times, also be patient for you never know what goes on in their minds.
Share ahead and keep writing us, we love hearing from you!
