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autism behavior "activity level" questions Zones of Regulation?


Lecka
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So, I talked to my son's case manager yesterday.

 

He has been having very uneven behavior.  He is being either so, so, so good.  Like -- amazingly good, 6 months ago I would not have believed it was possible, etc.  Or, he is being wild and not following basic safety rules.  

 

From talking to her -- she thinks (like, it is possible this is not what is going on, but at this point it is what she thinks) that at times when his heart rate is at a normal rate, he is able to do very well and is in fact doing very well.  She said by activity level she means his heart rate, and if he is moving around to increase his heart rate.

 

She said she thinks that sometimes for sensory reasons his heart rate increases.  

 

Then at this activity state or level he is not having his skills generalize.  

 

So -- he is going to do his ABA in context of running around and playing, so that he will be working on things while his activity state is more active.  And work on calming down and following directions and being aware of what is going on, in the active state.  

 

I think it is going to be like -- he is running around and playing, and she blows a whistle, and he stops and does things that will make his activity state more calm -- stand still, breathe more slowly, and that he will want to do this b/c it will be part of a game (she said freeze tag, red light green light) or b/c he will get a chip to eat or a poker chip or marble or a penny to earn something he wants.  

 

I think it is going to be fun for him and that he will like it  

 

I am curious if this is the kind of thing Zones of Regulation does?  Or any other programs or books?  And for those -- does the child need a certain language level or level of abstract thought?  I do not think my son could easily understand an analogy to a car engine -- just do not think he would get that right now.  But he could understand things that are really concrete.  We are going to use a visual with "red light green light" and if he does good with it, we will keep using it.  That is the only visual we are thinking of right now.  

 

She also said that making up obstacle courses can be really good, b/c he will have an elevated heart rate from being active, but still want to keep track of what he is doing and focus, and she thinks we may do that, also, after freeze tag, or maybe instead if freeze tag doesn't go well.  He was doing okay with freeze tag yesterday -- he wants to be doing the right thing, he just does not know what he is supposed to do quite yet.  Oh, she also said a game where we listen to music and move around while the music is on, but then stop when the music stops, could be good.  

 

But the goal is for him to listen, follow directions, and obey rules while he has a high activity level, similar to other kids his age (he is almost 6).  I would love to hear any suggestions and if this is Zones of Regulation type stuff, or if Zones is more for an older child or a child who already has some higher skills, or if it can start more at this level.  (This would also help him be more successful in PE and be able to participate in some fun things he would like -- but where kids do need to be able to listen and follow directions, or to learn what they are supposed to do and do it -- not possible when kids are just starting to run around and not listen.)  

 

Edit:  I have an impression like Zones of Regulation is more advanced, but if it is not, I don't want to wait and turn out not to have needed to wait.  

 

 

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I hadn't ever heard of the program before, but Michelle Garcia Winner's site claims that it can be done with 4 y.o. preschoolers who are cognitively at or above average and that there are adaptations for kids with limited language: http://www.socialthinking.com/books-products/products-by-age-range/k-2nd-grade/zones-of-regulation-the-detail

 

DD's ABA program includes freeze dance and red light, green light. It's under the following instructions goal. Her SN soccer team also does red light, green light with dribbling the soccer ball and that has been good for her.

 

I just bought the app for our Kindle Fire as it's only $3.99.

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Actually -- I looked at the sample pages, and I think it may be better to wait a little longer.  I am going to keep checking up on this though, and ask around locally.  It looks really good, it does look like it is a higher level than we want right now.  

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