Definition: Small movements of the hands that allow us to manipulate materials like pencils, clothing buttons, and containers.
What fine motor skills do these activities help the child to develop?
Pencil grasp
Strengthen pinch and grip
Hand-eye coordination
Precision of their fingers – e.g., isolating fingers
Builds the foundation for other activities that they enjoy
Coordination of both hands
Fine motor activities to complete for toddler/ preschool (1-4 years old)
Use spoons to transfer small objects from one dish to another
Use sidewalk chalk to draw on the playground and on walls
Tear up recycled paper to make confetti
Create a water bin – spray bottle, plastic cups, small sponges
Stringing together beads / macaroni
Build a tower of 10 blocks
Making snips on cardboard paper or stiffer paper
Tracing sand with a stick
Fine motor activities to complete for school age (5+ years old)
Paint picture using Q-Tips or fingerpaint
Make a lacing card with cardboard and with a hole punch
Cutting different shapes, lines
Complete puzzles
Drawing and colouring using broken crayons
Spreading margarine with a knife
Self-care skills – tie own shoelace, button shirt, zippers and snaps, opening and closing containers
Scrunch up newspaper and toss them in the bin
Create a water bin – include syringes, eye droppers, buckets
What to look for
Include these fine motor skills during day to day activities – play, transition between activities
Incorporate a variety of materials for the children to use e.g., paper clips, tweezers, stencil tracing, pom poms, clothespins so that it is more fun for them!
Use different sizes for the children for example small, medium and large beads
Work on different surfaces to support the development of pencil grasp e.g., chalkboard, slanted surface (use a 3 inch binder)
Links to developmental milestones and implications
We all have 8 different sensory systems and process sensory input/ information daily from our environment. Our brain helps to keep us organized and less overwhelmed when we focus on one sense at a time. Our brains keep us in an optimal state of arousal and attention to help us stay engaged and calm to complete our activities. When we move below our optimal state of arousal we adjust our behaviour to bring us back to the optimal state.
What are sensory processing differences?
Some individuals react to sensory input differently. They may be over-responsive to sensory input and can experience sensory overload (e.g., activate nervous system in fight, flight or freeze – acting aggressive towards others, running away). They can also be under-responsive to sensory input and tries to seek out this sensory input (e.g., touches other students/ objects frequently, use too much/little pressure when writing, leaves chair to walk/run around).
Tactile/touch
refer to pressure, pain, temperature, texture
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see- avoid physical touch/hugs, reacts strongly to wearing clothing with tags
Encourage child to take the lead when they get dirty during play, avoid unexpected light touch, try a ‘touch and feel’ box – different objects for child to explore, at different times include different textures
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see – constantly touches people/ objects, unusual high pain tolerance, unaware of own strength – rough play
Activities – sensory bins filled with rice, flour and beans; sensory doughs e.g., playdough, cloud dough; finger painting;
Proprioceptive
in our muscles and joints; sense of body awareness – control force and pressure
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see – appears uncoordinated in their movements, move their whole body to look at something, refuse to participate in activities that require physical effort ex. Riding a bike, climbing
Activities – use calming strategies frequently, tightly squeeze playdough, squeezy ball, try out animal walks, yoga stretches, activities that focus on fine motor skills (beading, stacking), create a quiet area for the child to go to when feeling overwhelmed
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see – appear floppy and lean against people, furniture and wall for support, limited sense of personal space, prefer to run, jump and stomp, play roughly with other children
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see – avoiding activities that take feet off the ground (jumping and swinging), motion sickness, has trouble changing directions when walking
Activities – yoga (movements that keep child’s feet secure on ground, when using unfamiliar equipment – keep a firm hand on their shoulder, waist or arm (helps them feel more secure)
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see- difficulty sitting upright, bumping into objects, need to constantly move
Activities – skipping; jogging around playground/ on the spot; star jumps; bouncing on an exercise ball; chair push-ups
Taste
linked to our sense of smell; processes flavours such as sweet, sour, bitter
Activities – comparing ice cubes and frozen fruits to water and room temperature fruit; try crunchy, chewy, dry, soft foods; blowing bubbles
Smell
Hyper-reactive responses – what you may see – becomes agitated/ gags around certain smells, tell other people they “stink”
Activities – unscented/fragrance-free environments, seat child away from triggering scents (garbage bin), provide child with preferred scent (if they have one)
Hypo-reactive responses – what you may see – enjoy strong scents, doesn’t notice “dangerous smells”, trouble identifying smells of food
Activities – set up a smelling station – use cotton balls with essential oils, spices, smelly objects; use food and cooking to stimulate smell
Visual
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see – shield eye from bright/fluorescent light, refuse to go in room with too much on the wall
Activities – make shapes/ letters and numbers using different materials; “eye breaks”, reduce clutter
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see – looking at things out of the corner of their eye, shining bright light (sunlight), directly in eye, unaware of new people in environment, holds item close for inspection
Activities – flashlight tag, sensory bottles, light table activities, match the picture with the word
Auditory/hearing
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see- covering ears and running away from noises or loud environments
Activities – Calming music, matching sound game, rhymes and chants
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see- creating loud noises, yelling repeatedly
Activities – Musical instruments; group story telling; sound machines
Interoception
sensations from inside the body including perceptions of physical sensations e.g., hunger, thirst
Hyperreactive responses – what you may see – avoid going outside in certain weather conditions, frequently uses the washroom to not have a full bladder, drink excessive amounts of water to not be thirsty
Hyporeactive responses – what you may see – does not take off heavy clothing despite sweating, does not respond to injuries, frequent accidents because they do not react to full bladder
Activities – Label the way your body feels during everyday activities; allow students to notice the way their body feels during daily activities (e.g., during outdoor play when they are sweating, heart racing); animal yoga poses
What to look for
There is no one size fits all approach, be a sensory detective! Observe your students and know if your students are sensitive to different senses
Behaviours such as throwing tantrums, screaming when face gets wet, unusually low/high pain threshold can mean that the child has a sensory processing issue
For more personalized recommendations, please see an Occupational Therapist
Note that for young children, they may not always be experiencing sensory dysregulation. Make sure that the other basic needs of the child are met (e.g., thirst, hunger) and that other factors aren’t contributing to the children’s behaviours!
A sensory lifestyle is an individualized approach to meet the sensory needs of a child
throughout the day so that they are able to meaningfully engage in the activities that they want and need to do. This includes making lifestyle changes that have sensory supports within it.
Goals for creating a sensory lifestyle
Helping professionals understand a child’s sensory profile
Being proactive about managing the child’s reactions to sensory stimuli and preventing sensory overwhelm
Understand why a behaviour is occurring for a child
Provides the sensory supports for a person to self-regulate and support optimal levels
of functioning and participation for children.
Including sensory inputs throughout the day help us feel more regulated and stay within our optimal level of arousal. For example, if our energy is low, having a movement break for the entire class or refilling a cup of coffee may help us feel more awake.
A sensory lifestyle can also be beneficial for the whole class, rather than for one child. The same activity can be both alerting or calming to different children.
The Meaningful activities site wants to celebrate and share activities that are creative and resourceful for all those that visit this site. We are excited to share many different themes and ideas to support different ways to make each day meaningful. These activities and ideas are just the beginning – we encourage you to share your own ideas (no idea is too big or too small) for others to enjoy. We invite all individuals, family, friends, siblings, and staff to share some of their favourite activity ideas. Be inspired by others who have come up with activities to keep spirits up, stay engaged, and who have found ways to interact with others through play, learning and fun. If you have an idea to share, please use the “submit button” to add your idea to our activity library. We want to hear from you!
This repository of big ideas is just the beginning – we encourage you to deposit your own big ideas (no idea is too big or too small) for others to enjoy, regardless of if you are a staff, individual, or family member!
Youth (14-29) with siblings who have a disability often experience stigma from friends and society that greatly impacts their daily lives. Siblings often do not have a space to engage in conversations about, or share solutions to, barriers that impact their lives and the lives of their loved one who has a disability. Youth want to share their thoughts and ideas with decision-makers so that they can work together to build a collective vision and end the stigma around disability. Young siblings also want to help nurture relationships with other siblings in order to strengthen the voice of youth as advocates of inclusion.
New course – Savvy Siblings: Strengthening the Financial Security of Your Sibling with a Disability
Siblings Canada, an initiative of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence has launched Savvy Siblings: Strengthening the Financial Security of Your Sibling with a Disability, a free online course designed to support adults who want to play a role in improving the financial security of their siblings with disabilities—whether for today or for the future.
The course outlines the basics of how adults can meaningfully contribute to the financial well-being of their siblings with disabilities. Once enrolled, participants will have access to nine self-paced chapters that explore diverse topics like the impact of ableism, the links between disability and poverty, and the importance of relationships to financial security.
In addition to sharing videos, discussion boards and reflection exercises, the course outlines how to create a simple action plan for strengthening a sibling’s finances.
Adults who enroll in Savvy Siblings will benefit from:
Fewer worries and anxieties about the future.
More confidence in their ability to meaningfully contribute to their sibling’s financial security.
Strategies for managing family conversations about finances and the future.
Greater preparedness in the event of a sudden or unexpected transition to a caregiving role.
Access to an online community of peers who also have siblings with disabilities.
Sometimes we can benefit from others’ experiences:
A place for self-advocates, caregivers and family members to post a question or get feedback from other families and service providers who may have had similar experiences.
Acceptance and Commitment Training for Adult Siblings
Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) helps adults siblings of a person with disabilities.
Facilitated by siblings, for siblings, together we build our resilience through ACT. ACT helps us to struggle less with the difficult feelings and events in our lives, and mindfully connect with what is most important in a way that is loving and respectful.
This free virtual ACT workshop is spread over five consecutive Wednesday evenings from 7pm to 9pm Eastern. The workshop dates are on March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17 followed by a refresher evening session two weeks later on May 1.
Stress and trauma can significantly impact the emotional wellbeing of a child and how they interact with their environment and others. It is important to recognize trauma because experiencing long-lasting stressful situations may impact a child’s development. The child’s brain instead of growing, learning and evolving as it should, may focus on survival instead, on simply staying alive and meeting basic needs.
Children who have experienced stress and trauma for prolonged periods of time may have difficulty regulating their bodies and emotions. As adults, we can help a child learn important skills through nurturing, responsive relationships. By adapting our environments, approaches, and planned activities using a trauma-informed lens, we can help support children to form positive relationships and have a greater sense of safety and security. This will help children to become more successful throughout the day and promote opportunities for learning.
When is a good time to teach calming skills?
It is important to teach new skills at times when you and the child are calm and regulated. Teaching moments can happen many times through the day when the thinking brain is activated and thriving. Children are in a better position to learn calming skills when they are calm. Allow time for children to practice a variety of calming strategies and determine what skills they prefer to use. Once familiar with what to do, you can help them to use the skills during times of distress.
Teaching children about their brain and how it works
Talk with children about how the brain works, particularly about how feelings impact the way we respond to situations. Have conversations about being scared or overwhelmed and practice ways to approach challenging situations. Include teachings about the different functions of the brain, such as the survival brain,emotional brain and thinking brain and what happens to our ability to act, feel, and think. When talking about these different modes, it is important to note that the brain is doing its job and working properly, even when in survival mode. For example, you could say,
“Your survival brain is just working overtime to keep you safe, so together we can teach your brain not to be scared when it doesn’t have to be.”
This can help children understand what is going on inside them and ways to gain back some control over their experiences.
Activities to support learning:
Draw your brain when… happy, sad, mad,
Have a code or signal they can use if they feel they are slipping into survival brain that cues you in that they need support
Teach children “Flip your Lid” hand signals to give a visual representation about which part of the brain is in charge
Thinking Brain Emotional Brain and Survival Brain
Teach children about feelings
Children who have experienced stress and trauma may seem emotionally and developmentally younger than their age. They may have feelings that others have not explored with them and, even in older children may not know how to identify their emotions. Teach children what these feelings are, how to label and express them, and how to understand and read emotional cues from others.
Teach Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the moment, free from distractions, judgment, and aware of our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness helps us become more aware of input from the environment and how our body feels.
Practicing mindfulness with children can provide them with the strategies to help slow down, focus, and calm themselves. Through mindfulness, children may develop greater awareness of their emotions, body, and sensory self. Mindfulness can be a powerful tool in helping manage stress, anxiety, impulsivity, and can help improve listening and respect for self and others. Mindfulness activities, when practiced together, can create a calming environment and strengthen relationships.
Here are five mindfulness practices to try.
Being Present and Grounded
Children who have experienced stress and trauma are caught between remembering past hardship and worrying about the future. Notice and talk with them about positive experiences they are having in the present and things of interest or beauty around them. This simple technique may help to ground them in the here and now along with you.
Ask the child to name the following:
5 things that you can SEE
4 things that you can FEEL/TOUCH
3 things that you can HEAR
2 things that you can SMELL
1 thing that you can TASTE
Focused Breathing
Focused breathing increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which releases chemicals that calm the brain and body. Teaching children focused breathing will help physically calm the body down and help shift awareness away from worries to the action of breathing in and out.
Focused Attention
Learning how to have focused or sustained attention by training the brain to pay attention to a child’s current experience instead of slipping into anxious thoughts.
Movement, Yoga, and Stretching
For children who have experienced long-lasting stress and trauma, their bodies may be in a state of irritability due to the stress chemicals that are constantly released. This may impact their awareness of their body and feelings of physical safety. Movement, when incorporated throughout the day, helps increase children’s ability to recognize and tolerate physical sensations. Engaging in relaxing movement, like yoga or stretching, also helps children learn about how the body feels when calm.
Relaxation
Guided meditation is helpful when learning calming techniques, such as body scanning and muscle relaxation. Together, you can listen and follow verbal instructions or video to guide you through relaxing. Progressive muscle relaxation provides a direct focus on parts of the body. Once a child becomes familiar with how their body feels when tense versus relaxed, you can take the learning one step further by talking about feelings that go along with being tense or relaxed.
Sensorial Activities and Environment
Everyone has their own unique response to sensory stimuli. Sometimes children may have trouble organizing and responding to information from the senses, which can lead to sensory processing challenges. Keep in mind that what is tolerable to us may not be for a child with sensory processing difficulties. We can help by understanding how a child who is experiencing stress and trauma is responding to sensory stimuli and we can adapt our environment to help reduce stimulation. Start by scanning through all five senses and ask yourself, “Does this environment produce a calming feeling?”
The following are a few suggestions to help keep sensory stimulation at moderate levels:
Dim the lights, use lamps or natural sunlight as much as possible
Keep noise to a moderate level, including background sounds such as a loud ticking clock
Maintain a regular speaking voice in both volume and tone
Use unscented cleaning products
Provide opportunities and space for both movement and stillness throughout the day
Reduce active play or anything that is too stimulating during times of high anxiety or when the children are overly boisterous and need help to calm down
Create an area where children can go who need a calm space
Provide a variety of tactile sensory activities throughout the day, changing the materials and temperatures (e.g., ice versus warm water)
Include activities that involve “heavy push – pull work” to activate the larger muscles of the arms and legs, such as pulling a wagon or squeezing a stress ball
Plan group cooking activities or do aromatherapy (if scent is allowed in your facility)
Provide different textures and tastes as part of your snack and lunch menu and draw attention to the different sensations while tasting. Reinforce tastes that are soothing.
Music has the potential to be overstimulating to a child when calming down is more beneficial. Use instrumental music or natural sounds, such as falling rain to help calm.
Try adding binaural beats to the room, particularly at sleep/quiet time. Binaural beats are two tones with slightly different frequencies, that the brain perceives as one, activating both hemispheres of the brain to produce a calming effect.
Books and Stories
Books and storytelling are indirect ways of having a conversation about difficult situations and solutions. When reading stories that have conflict to resolve, ask additional questions, such as, “How is the character feeling?”, “What do you think they could do to solve the problem?” and, “What are some other options?” These types of questions help children see the perspective of others and problem solve situations.
Individual Positive Affirmations
Children who have endured stress often have a poor self-image. Teaching children to recognize positive things about themselves and others can be powerful. Positive affirmations that are repeated, can replace negative self-talk and instills hopefulness. Have a stack of cards with affirmations for children – enough for each child. When they enter the room, have them choose one and either read it themselves or have you read it to them. In any of your interactions and at any transition time between the daily activities ask them to repeat their affirmation for the day. This will give them many opportunities to be affirmed with a positive statement about themselves. Have the children create their own to share with each other or to use in the program.
Teach about how to recognize happiness and kindness
Understanding happiness and kindness may be difficult for some, as most children who struggle with stress and trauma are not asked about their happiness – their behaviour is typically the focus. Ask children as part of group time “What was one thing that made you happy today?” or “One moment that made you smile?” Asking a child what was the best part of their day allows the child to see positives, and provides them an opportunity to have the adults in their life celebrate those experiences.
Remember…
Setting up for success can be difficult, but with time and practice it can get easier. Children experiencing stress and trauma may try to avoid new or complex activities because of discomfort and fear of the unknown. Talk about the discomfort and how it feels. Be actively involved in the activities along with them, not just leading or providing materials. By doing this you will be showing them that the activities do not have to be scary or uncomfortable. Children have a window of tolerance before something becomes too uncomfortable and “scary” to continue. Notice where that threshold is for a child. Start with one yoga pose, taking one breath, doing one stretch, 10 seconds of meditation. Start where they are at, and grow from that.
Written by Amanda Boyd, BA, CYC, CTP; Behaviour Consultant, Lumenus Community Services, Every Child Belongs
Stress and trauma can significantly impact a child’s health, development and wellbeing and can influence how they interact with others and their environment.
Parts 1 and 2 of this series on “Looking through a Trauma Informed Lens” identifies how childhood experiences of stressful and/or trauma can activate the survival brain. When this happens, the child’s brain shifts to a heightened state of survival and instead of growing and learning, the child’s responses to life experiences is focused on staying safe and meeting their basic needs.
Recognizing and responding to a child’s behaviour through a trauma-informed lens can change how we, as adults interact; what we say, and what we do.
The steps to responding with a trauma-informed lens are purposeful, based on how the brain operates when stress and trauma overwhelm a child.
Understand your own feelings
Take a moment to look at your own responses to challenging situations. What are your feelings and how are those feelings modelled to others? Situations can be stressful and sometimes overwhelming, particularly when dealing with challenging behaviour that happens on a regular basis. Understanding your own feelings and adapting your responses is the first step.
Recognize FEAR
If the child is experiencing stress and trauma, fear is at the root of their actions and behaviour. The survival brain is in charge and the emotional brain has been activated. The child’s behaviour is a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself.
Ask yourself:
Are they scared?
Is their survival brain in charge?
What can I do to calm their emotions and get their thinking brain back online?
Model calm and reassurance
Take a moment to stop and breathe, then decide what to do next. Our own actions could potentially escalate or de-escalate the situation, depending on what we do next.
Go to the child
Get physically close while respecting the child’s personal space. They will likely not be able to come to you if you call them. They will not be able to follow through in this moment because the survival brain is in charge.
Critical things to remember at this time:
Be Silent. This is very hard as we are used to talking and going into problem solving right away. However, if the child’s survival brain is activated, they are not an available listener in that moment. Talking before helping the child to calm will only escalate the situation.
Be completely present and available. Pay attention to the child without distraction.
Convey warmth and reassurance through your body language. Consider your body posture, facial expression and tone of voice. Is it open, warm, inviting and comforting or closed and harsh? Find a calm quiet area and position yourself alongside the child in a non-threatening way, at eye level.
Cultural Considerations. There are differences in meaning and intention when it comes to non-verbal communication across cultures. It is important to understand the child from a cultural perspective and be mindful to avoid miscommunication.
The survival brain and the child’s fight – flight – freeze responses will be reduced when the child feels safe and calm. The child’s thinking brain will turn back on..
Critical things to remember at this time:
Do not focus on talking, problem solving or make expectations. The child cannot take on tasks or directions at this time and may perceive this as threatening, adding feeling of being overwhelmed.
Do not ask for investment in the outcome. This is not the time to be thinking of solving this situation or what the child is going to have to do.
Use calming techniques that help to regulate the nervous system. Calming techniques, such as deep breathing, will help to keep you calm and will be a model for the child as well.
Connect with the child
You may begin to notice the child beginning to relax, signalling that they are beginning to feel safe. Their thinking brain is coming back. You may start to see that they have more eye contact, breathing is slower and steadier, and challenging behaviours have decreased. This is the moment when you must connect and reassure them that you are there for support.
Important things to say at this time:
“I am here.” “I am with you.”
“You are safe.”
“Your feelings matter to me.”
You must be sincere, otherwise the survival brain will not believe that it is truly safe and this interaction may be perceived as another threat, which could re-escalate a survival response. Listening and acknowledging feelings with empathy helps the child feel safe and understood.
Reason with the child
Once the child is calm and you recognize that the thinking brain is activated, you can begin to have a conversation with the child. Processing and problem solving comes AFTER calming and connecting. How you do this is important, using Dr. Dan Hughes’s “Two-hand Approach”; connection and then correction.
Example:
Connection: “On one hand you have good reasons for getting upset when (insert what happened).”
Correction: “On the other hand it’s not okay to (insert behavior or action here). Let’s find another way to handle that situation that serves you better. I’m here every step of the way to figure that out with you.”
This approach validates emotions expressed when the survival brain was in charge. It addresses how those big emotions did not help the child in the moment and what they can do instead to be able to handle a situation in a more positive way moving forward.
Help the child to re-do and repair
Providing the opportunity to re-do and repair is an important step in helping the child move to using their thinking brain.
Re-do: This is an opportunity to immediately practice a replacement skill, one that may lead to a better outcome. It lays the groundwork for a skill to be tried and take root. When you help the child to practice a new skill and praise their attempts, it will help to increase their confidence and provide a more positive relationship.
Repair: This is about fixing a situation. For example: cleaning up if a mess was made, or apologizing to a peer if hurt was caused. You will need to match the repair expectation to the developmental level of the child instead of their chronological age. Remember that children who have experienced stress and trauma often present as developmentally younger.
The point of “repair” is to show the child that they can come back from a challenging situation and that you will support them to do so. This can be scary, especially if they are left alone to perform expectations that are above their ability. This may lead to re-escalation. If we meet a child where they are at, with appropriate expectations and support, they can successfully repair.
Important things to say at this time:
“It was really hard to (name the repair action) wasn’t it?”
“You must be proud of yourself for (name the repair action).”
“I am proud of you.”
It is important to engage in re-do and repair alongside the child to help demonstrate the skill you want to teach, build a trusting relationship, and provide support and encouragement during the learning process.
Move forward
When a situation is over, it is important to move forward with the activities of the day. The supportive, nurturing connection with you needs to continue, however the child needs to see and understand there is closure and a fresh start.
Remember…
Be patient as each step may take time. You may need to fight the urge to start talking and problem solve. At times it will be difficult to find the time to work through each step.
When things do not seem to be working, think back on what happened and what actions you took. Be consistent, repeat the steps and give time for the skills to take root. Each child is unique and will need a thoughtful approach.
You will know if your strategy is working by observing the duration, frequency and intensity of each challenging situation. Does it take as long as it used to for the child to return to calm? Is it happening as often as it used to? Is the situation as intense as it used to be?
Focusing on building your child’s skills and connecting with you in positive ways, even in difficult times, can help your child be more successful. Thoughtful and supportive responses on the part of the adults in a child’s life can help them learn how to manage the stress and trauma they face.
Written by Amanda Boyd, BA, CYC, CTP; Behaviour Consultant, Lumenus Community Services, Every Child Belongs
Perry, B. D. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children: The Neurosequential Brainl of Therapeutics. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Social Work Practice with Children and Families. Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (p. 27–52). Guilford Press.
Differential reinforcement involves reinforcing appropriate behaviours, while withholding attention from the problem/target behaviour. By withholding attention from the target behaviour, it is no longer reinforced but other appropriate behaviours are.
When withholding attention from a behaviour, it is important to remember to never ignore the individual. Withholding attention from the behaviour can be done while still being aware of the individual and their safety.
When differential reinforcement is used consistently, behaviors that are reinforced will increase, and behaviours that are not reinforced will decrease or be eliminated entirely.
Please follow this link to view a training video on differential reinforcement. The video includes several examples so you can see the implementation of differential reinforcement in real life.
How to Use Differential Reinforcement
Once you have selected the specific target behaviour to be reduced and the target behaviour to be increased, share the details of the plan with your team or others involved with the individual’s care to ensure consistency across people. It can be helpful to create the plan as a team to address everyone’s point of view and suggestions.
When the individual engages in the target behaviour, all staff and/or caregivers are to withhold providing attention. We often think attention is limited to positive statements, but attention also includes reprimands, such as saying “no” or “don’t do that”. It is encouraged that staff avoid looking at the individual or making facial expressions.
When the individual is observed engaging in the target behaviour that you want to see more of, provide a significant amount of positive attention. The attention provided should be individualized and based on their likes. For example, if an individual enjoys physical touch, you could pat them on the back and say “wow, good job staying calm”.
Types of Differential Reinforcement
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviour (DRI):
This procedure selects an incompatible behaviour to be reinforced while withholding reinforcement for the problem behaviour. The incompatible behaviour cannot occur simultaneously to the problem behaviour.
For example: Camisha pinches her arms while she is watching television, so staff tell her to “stop pinching”. The pinching behaviour is reinforced by the staff’s attention, so they begin to withhold attention when she pinches her arms. At the same time, staff teach Camisha to keep her fingers intertwined while she watches television. Camisha receives verbal praise for instances when she keeps her hands intertwined.
Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviour (DRO):
This procedure withholds reinforcement for the problem behaviour and reinforcement is only provided when there has been an absence of the problem behaviour for a predetermined amount of time.
For example: Chenoa pulls strands of hair out of her head when she is completing independent work. The behaviour consultant decides to use DRO in order to reinforce the absence of pulling her hair. Using this procedure, the teacher sets a timer for three minutes on Chenoa’s desk. If Chenoa does not pull her hair for the entire three minutes, then she is reinforced. If Chenoa does pull her hair, she is not reinforced, and the timer is reset.
Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Behaviour (DRL):
This procedure is used to reduce the frequency of a behavior but will not eliminate it from the learner’s repertoire entirely. This is typically reserved for behaviors that are socially acceptable but may occur too often. Reinforcement is delivered if a behavior occurs below a pre- determined criterion.
For example: Rashida is a very curious adult that enjoys learning new things. He asks his peers questions about their day and their interests however he asks questions repeatedly and does not know when to stop. Rashida’s staff do not want to eliminate his asking of questions because it is an important skill, but they do want him to ask fewer questions. Staff tell Rashida that he will receive extra time with his video games if he asks his peers or staff five questions or fewer in a five-minute period. If Rashida asks more than five questions in that time-period, he will not receive extra time playing video games.
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviour (DRA):
This procedure selects an alternative desirable behaviour to be reinforced instead of the problem behaviour. Reinforcement is provided immediately after the selected alternative behaviour occurs, and reinforcement is withheld when the problem behaviour occurs. It is important to select an alternative behaviour that serves the same function as the problem behaviour.
For example: Panya runs out of her bedroom whenever she is asked to tidy it up. Running out of her bedroom serves an escape function, as her parents allow her to leave without tidying up the room. The next time Panya is asked to tidy up the room, parents prompt her to say, “I want a break”. When Panya repeats “I want a break”, parents provide her with verbal praise and allow her to leave the room to take a five-minute break.
Tips to Consider When Delivering Differential Reinforcement
Extinction Bursts: This occurs when caregivers attempt to eliminate an individual’s behaviour by refusing to reinforce it. Usually an increase in the frequency or intensity of the unwanted behaviour will occur when this method is used. For example, Ashley will start to cry whenever it is time to do homework so her dad will help her. Once Ashley realizes her cries are not providing the attention that she is seeking from her dad, the behaviour will eventually cease.
Behaviour Traps: These typically occurs when the behaviour of an individual is being inadvertently reinforced and that action results in the behaviour recurring in the future. An example is Chopra asks his mom to buy candy at the grocery store, but his mom says no. Chopra then has a tantrum and his mom chooses to give in due to the judgement of the other customers around her.
Non-Attention Behaviours: Not all behaviours are motivated by attention therefore, in these cases withholding attention is not effective. For example, when Ben engages in self-injurious behaviour by hitting his head this may serve other functions such as either indicating he is experiencing pain, wants to escape a task or is communicating his needs.
Withholding Attention Does Not Mean Ignoring: When using differential reinforcement remember that it involves withholding attention from the problem behaviour, not from the person. It is still important to monitor the individual and be aware of their care and safety. For example, Anna typically yells to get staff’s attention. This time when it happens, the staff turn their backs to Anna and open a book. Anna continues yelling to get the staff’s attention, which does not work. Anna begins pulling her hair, so staff attempt to block the hair pulling to prevent injury. Staff continue to withhold attention to yelling and hair pulling but provide the necessary care to ensure Anna’s safety.
Short Sessions: It is not always possible to implement differential reinforcement for long periods of time as it requires the individual to be closely monitored. Instead, select short periods of time during the day when differential reinforcement could be used.
In Part 1: Understanding Stress and Trauma we learned that stress and trauma can significantly impact children’s health, development and overall wellbeing. Trauma can influence how children interact with others and their environment. When a child experiences stress or trauma, the survival brain may be activated and take control of how the child responds.
The problem arises when the brain is in a constant state of survival. When the survival brain is activated, the thinking brain shuts off. During this time, the emotional brain takes cues from the survival part of the brain and goes into “danger mode”, expressing large emotional responses such as a fight, flight, or freeze.
Long-lasting or recurring stressful experiences may prevent a child from regulating their emotions appropriately and they may fall behind in their learning and development. What was once easy for a child to do, can become overwhelming as they try to manage their stress and learn at the same time. Support from caring and responsive adults who can offer strategies to help a child move out of survival and emotion to thinking is important.
Common signs of stress and trauma in children may include the following:
Presenting as less mature than peers of the same age
Difficulty with transitioning to other activities
Difficulty regulating emotions, e.g., tantrums, outbursts, irritability, or crying easily
Difficulty following instructions or routines that were previously learned
Regression in skills previously learned, such as toileting
More hands-on with peers during play
Overly physical reactions to conflict, difficulty with problem solving
Easily startled
Difficulty focusing on tasks
Disruption in sleep patterns
Flight risk, running away or hiding
Loss of interest in toys and activities previously enjoyed
Hypervigilance or constantly on “high alert”
Clinging or looking for extra attention from familiar adults
Overly physical play, over-activity or difficulty with physical self-regulation
When a child is experiencing stress and trauma, these common signs of stress may appear as if the child is ‘acting out’. This is because the survival brain is responding to a threat by any means necessary. The emotional brain may respond through large scale emotions. This behavioural response is a sign or symptom of the problem, not the problem itself.
Using a “trauma-informed lens” allows adults to see that the child is stressed and the survival part of the brain is overloaded. It is important for adults to remember that children are not acting out on purpose, but in fact, they are communicating, “I’m not feeling safe and this is all I know to do to get back to safety!” The adult’s role is to support the child to move out of survival mode to thinking again.
When using a trauma-informed lens, be a detective.
When responding to children’s behaviour through a trauma informed lens, adults act as a detectives by gathering information through observation, documentation and reflection to find ways to best help the child. This detective work is most effective when all adults in the child’s life contribute to these discussions and observations.
Start by tracking events and look for triggers.
Date/Time – Does it always happen on the same day of the week or at the same time of day?
People involved – Is there a person the child has greater difficulty with or is calmer around?
What happened right before behaviour? – Track what happened, where, with who, how and when. Write down what was said specifically.
Who? Is there a particular staff or peer that is part of the dynamic when behaviour occurs? Is there something about a person that activates behaviour? Tone of voice? Body language? History of relationship?
What? What is the behaviour over? An object? An injustice? A request or opportunity that the child is wanting? E.g., A peer was playing with a toy which a child wanted, resulting in a behaviour. Was there a specific expectation given?
Where? E.g., Is it always outside? Always in the hallway? In the class? In circle/group activity?
How? How did the child express behaviour? What did it look like?Does the child run away? Fight? Refuse or protest? Shutdown and not respond?
When? Does the behaviour happen when it’s time to tidy up for lunch? Does it happen around rest/quiet time? Always in the morning or in the afternoon?
Behaviour – What was the behaviour or action from the child?
Conclusion/outcome – What actions did staff take to intervene? What was said specifically? What were the consequences, expectations, follow through? What support was given to the child?
Focus on skills -What skills were missing that could have made that situation successful?
By being a trauma-informed detective you can learn to notice the patterns of the child and gain valuable information that will help guide you on what to do next. Recognizing triggers will help adult’s develop a plan to support the child more effectively. If there is an underlying skill that the child needs to develop, adults can identify and help the child learn the skills.
Remember:
It is important to recognize the signs of stress and trauma and how the survival brain and emotional brain express themselves when triggered and overwhelmed. Adults can support children when this occurs, by acting as detectives and tracking patterns that help to identify the underlying cause of the child’s signs or symptoms.
Written by Amanda Boyd, BA, CYC, CTP; Behaviour Consultant, Lumenus Community Services, Every Child Belongs
Perry, B. D. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children: The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Social Work Practice with Children and Families. Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (p. 27–52). Guilford Press.
Stress and trauma can significantly impact the emotional wellbeing of children and influence the way they interact with others, form relationships, and engage in different environments. Exposure to repeated or long-lasting stressful situations may impact a child’s health and development. When this happens, the brain shifts to a heightened state of survival and instead of growing and learning, focuses on survival: simply staying alive, safe and meeting basic needs.
What is stress?
Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain/tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Stress can be associated with negative and positive experiences.
What is trauma?
Sometimes we have experiences that are far beyond our ability to manage. These experiences, if left unsupported or experienced for long periods, can be traumatizing. Trauma is a lasting emotional response to the impact of reoccurring negative experiences associated with danger, harm, neglect and/or abuse and may persist even after the experience has ended. Feelings associated with trauma can leave lasting effects on a child’s emotional, social, physical and cognitive development, making it difficult for children to reach their full potential.
Understanding childhood trauma and the impact this has on children’s brain function will help adults respond to the needs of children through a trauma informed lens.
Think of the brain in three parts:
Consider the child’s brain in three parts that work together to create a child’s identity, relationships with others and responses to life’s experiences.
Survival Brain keeps us safe at all costs. It controls our instinctive responses for survival, and does so through fight, flight, or freeze responses.
Emotional Brain is responsible for our emotional experience – how we emotionally assess or judge a situation and respond or engage.
Thinking Brain is responsible for rational thought and higher cognitive functions. Examples of higher functions include:
concentration, organization, judgement, reasoning, problem solving, decision-making, emotional regulation, thinking before responding
social skills and reading social cues
abstract thinking and memory
language, empathy, and creativity
How do these parts of the brain work together?
The thinking brain is responsible for our personality, sense of humour, ability to interact, form relationships and show empathy towards others. This helps children manage tricky situations faced in life. This thinking brain receives information from experience, analyzes and communicates this analysis to the emotional brain. The emotional brain determines how to feel and respond. If a threat is determined, the emotional brain communicates this information to the survival brain activating a survival response to the situation or experience.
What happens to the brain when we experience stress and trauma?
When a person experiences a stressful or traumatic experience, this threat activates the survival brain. Staying safe is typically the immediate response. For example, if there is a tiger at our door ready to pounce, we are not reviewing our shopping list in our minds; we need activation NOW, to get away and be safe. We need our survival brain to react.
Why is prolonged stress and trauma a problem?
The problem arises when the brain is in a constant state of survival. When the survival brain is activated, the thinking brain shuts off. During this time, the emotional brain takes cues from the survival part of the brain and goes into “danger mode”, expressing emotional responses such as, fight, flight, or freeze. When the thinking brain shuts off, this prevents the child’s ability to store and access all of the skills needed for learning. If the thinking brain is deactivated, we cannot use any of the skills that will help the situation and cannot learn new skills. This is especially risky for children when their learning and development is interrupted. Potential lifelong risks for children experiencing prolonged stress and trauma may include:
Cognitive or learning delays
Difficulties interacting with others and forming positive relationships
Emotional and self-regulation difficulties
Physical illnesses
What can we do?
The brain grows through experience. If a child has learned through the experience of stress and hardship, they can re-learn through different types of experiences, such as nurturing, attentive, and caring relationships and connections. Consistent, predictable, nurturing, and patient relationships with familiar adults can help calm a child and support them to feel safe. When this happens, they may grow and develop to their fullest potential.
Written by Amanda Boyd, BA, CYC, CTP; Behaviour Consultant, Lumenus Community Services, Every Child Belongs
Perry, B. D. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children: The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Social Work Practice with Children and Families. Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (p. 27–52). Guilford Press.
Michelle has a passion for the prevention of abuse, criminalization, and exploitation of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities through the facilitation of workshops, groups and educational initiatives. Michelle will be speaking about the prevalence of suicide and suicidal ideation within the ID/DD population.
Michelle will introduce Living Work’s Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program and speak to how this methodology can help to reduce rates of suicidality, both within the population of individuals served and caregivers providing supports.
