Theyre all Gods Children Special Needs, Special Blessings

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Theyre all Gods Children Special Needs,
Special Blessings

• Linda A. Herold, DRE
• Youth Minister of Saint Martha Parish
• Akron, OH

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Presentation Objectives

• Define inclusion
• USCCB guidelines
• General overview of AD/HD
• Some accommodations that may help with ADHD and
  other disabilities
• Some resources can use
• Maximize use of time

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Definition of Inclusion

• A right
• Not a place or strategy
• About belonging, being valued, and having choices
• About being part of the community or class
• Think about each child as unique, a gift from
  God
• not just children we have labeled special needs
• Alter programming because it helps the child, the
  family, your day.
• They are children first they have a disability
  second

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Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments
with Persons with Disabilities USCCB

• follows the idea of inclusion
• all forms of the liturgy must be completely
  accessible to persons with disabilities
• by reason of their baptism, all Catholics have a
  right to participate in sacraments as fully
  functioning members of ecclesial community
• realistic provision must be made for persons with
  disabilities to participate fully in the
  Eucharist and other liturgical celebrations such
  as reconciliation, confirmation, and anointing.
• For Eucharist, person be able to distinguish the
  Body of Christ from ordinary food either through
  manner, gesture or reverential silence
• For Reconciliation, as long as the individual is
  capable of sense of contrition, even if cannot
  describe sin precisely in words

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Caution prior to characteristics!

• We are not qualified to diagnose!

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Core Symptoms of AD/HD

• Developmentally inappropriate levels of
  inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity
• Are persistent problems cause difficulties in
  one or more major life areas
• AD/HD is a mental health disorder
• Very complex, neuro-biochemical disorder
• Do not know exact causes
• Diagnosed by a pediatrician, psychologist,
  neurologist or clinical social worker
• Its not bad parenting, food dye, too much sugar,
  too much television, etc.

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Technology has demonstrated that for people with
AD/HD

• Certain brain areas have less activity and blood
  flow and some slightly smaller
• Evident in prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and
  cerebellum
• These areas also develop later in childhood
• These are areas to inhibit behavior, sustain
  attention, and control mood
• Strong evidence, certain chemicals,
  neurotransmitters, plays role in AD/HD type
  behaviors
• Neurotransmitters help brain cells communicate
  with each other this one is dopamine, widely
  used throughout brain
• If neurotransmitters dont work as supposed to,
  brain systems function inefficiently

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Attention is a process

• We initiate direct our attention to where it is
  needed or desired at a moment
• We sustain pay attention for as long as needed
• We inhibit avoid focusing on something that
  removes our attention from where it needs to be
• We shift move our attention to other things as
  needed

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Symptoms of Inattention

• fails to give close attention to details,
  careless mistakes
• difficulty sustaining attention
• does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
• does not follow through on instructions and fails
  to finish
• difficulty organizing tasks or activities
• often avoids, dislikes, reluctant to engage in
  tasks requiring sustained attention
• easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
• is often forgetful in daily activities
• loses things necessary for tasks
• doesnt listen
• seems disorganized
• forgetful
• easily distracted

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Symptoms of Hyperactivity

• excessive activity most visible sign, even
  during sleep
• always on the go
• fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
• often leaves seat, even when shouldnt
• often runs about or climbs excessively
  inappropriate situations
• often has difficulty playing or engaging in
  leisure activities quietly
• is often on the go acts as if driven by a motor
• talks excessively
• blurts out answers
• trouble waiting turns
• interrupts

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Symptoms of Impulsivitythe bubble gum machine!

• act without fully considering the circumstances
  /consequences
• does not think about potential outcomes of their
  actions does not even cross their minds
• hard to delay gratification
• speaks out of turn, interrupts others,
• engage in what looks like risk taking behavior
• trouble controlling impulses and anticipating
  consequences
• blurts out answers
• difficulty waiting turn
• interrupts or intrudes on others

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Effects of AD/HDdifficulties with

• Starting, staying on, completing tasks
• Making transitions, changes in schedule
• Interacting with others
• Following through on directions
• Producing work at consistently normal level
• Organizing multi-step tasks
• Adults need to be executives in childs life

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Key Word Structure!

• Develop systems to guide and direct
• I expect you to, with clear expectations
• Do things same time every day
• Post schedule
• If make changes, advance warning
• Simple systems for organization
• Use homework organizers
• Teach to clean and organize backpacks, desks and
  notebooks

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Behavioral Interventions

• Catch being good (receive tremendous amount of
  negative feedback)
• Much of behavior management is about changing
  what you do
• Carefully designed rules so able to meet
  expectations
• Change what happens before behavior
• Use formal behavior management systems charts
  contracts
• Rewards must be valued to work
• ADHD respond best to motivation and positive
  reinforcement avoid punishment or use sparingly
  and with sensitivity
• Reward positive behavior

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Behavioral Interventions, 2

• Ignore negative behavior as much as possible
• Display rules
• Give behavior prompts
• Have clear consequences
• Time to de-stress
• Allow doodling or other mindless motor movement
• Use activity as reward

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Classroom Interventions

• Write directions on board or paper if visual
  learners
• Break instructions into small steps workable
  and obtainable steps
• Reward/reinforce small steps
• Walk near, touch gently, remind back to task
• More time for tests and assignments
• Remind to turn in homework
• Use tapes to record lessons
• Use simplified texts or tailor assignments
  smaller portions
• Maximum eye contact with instruction make sure
  they maintain with you, if able
• Directions clear and concise

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Classroom Interventions, 2

• One step directions, not multiple
• Make sure understands before beginning
• Lots of help, gradually reduce
• Writes down assignments
• Provide direct instruction one on one instruction
• Teach and practice organization study skills
• Lecture less
• Lessons that can be actively responded to move
  around, take a break
• Highly motivating and enriching curriculum
• Eliminate repetition from tasks, use more novel
  ways to practice
• Computers for instruction

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Classroom Interventions, 3

• Challenge but do not overwhelm
• Provide frequent feedback
• Structure tasks
• Set timers for specific tasks
• Maintain communication between home and school
• Do daily/weekly progress reports
• Provide opportunities for self correction
• Give partial credit
• Highlight or color code directions or parts
• Teach keyword underlining skills

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Classroom Interventions, 4

• Summarize key info
• Give visual cues
• Add interest and activity to tasks
• Divide larger tasks into easily completed
  segments
• Shorten overall tasks
• Allow student choice when able
• Call on student often

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Environmental Interventions

• Sit in front of class or place of least
  distraction
• More time for tests and assignments
• Do not give bad marks for work that is due to
  disability
• Do not punish because of difficulties from lack
  of organization or problems with attention
• Avoid distracting stimuli noisy air conditions,
  doors window, high traffic areas

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Social Interventions

• Good role models sit by, works with
• Verbally describe or role play appropriate
  behaviors
• Have watch others and evaluate interactions
• May not know what has done wrong

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Four Hows of Social Skills

• How to approach get in and be included
• How to interact, through sharing and cooperation
• How to deal with difference, teasing, bullying,
  etc
• How to manage conflict, by problem solving and
  handling aggression
• Use imitation and modeling
• Arrange environments to ensure interactions
  between disabled and non-disabled
• Reinforcing for playing together
• Reinforcing when they imitate appropriate
  behaviors

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Resources

• Public Schools for assessment and services
• -work within current IEP and/or use
  accommodations
• -work with parents/families as team
• Help Me Grow
• http//www.keyministry.org
• http//www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe

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Wrap up

• Questions?
• Contact Information
• Linda Herold
• 330-376-5144
• LindaAHart_at_aol.com