Everyday Tips for Learning Disabled Kids
When a baby drinks from a bottle it can be very difficult for him to give it up for a cup. This is true with any child. But, when you try to help a child that is learning disabled to move onto another form of drinking you’ve got an assignment on your hands.
One way to help a learning disabled child through this transition is to use a squirt bottle with a tube. The squirt bottle needs to be one where you can clip off the end and insert a small plastic tube, as close to the size of a straw that you can find. Squeeze the bottle and the liquid will dispense into the child’s mouth, then when the child swallows, he will automatically be sucking on the tube. If he has difficulty keeping the liquid coming, give another little squeeze so he can get started again. After a short while with this bottle, he can easily move to a cup that has a straw.
Teaching learning disabled children to dress is another major effort. One of the most difficult things to teach the child to put on is a coat, or button-down shirt. That’s because it doesn’t simply slip over his head, he has to put in one arm, reach behind him and grab the other sleeve, etc. It’s very hard for some kids to learn this maneuver. There’s another way that’s easy for the child. Place the coat on a sofa or chair, with hood hanging down towards the floor and hem facing away from the child. Guide the child to place both arms into the sleeves, then raise his arms above his head. The coat (or shirt) will then slip easily over his back.
Reaching behind one’s self to grab or maneuver a garment is impossible for some learning disabled children. Make it easy on him/her when it comes to wearing a belt. Teach the child to guide the belt through the loops before stepping into the pants. This way the child doesn’t have to try to reach behind himself and slide the belt through a loop he can’t see.
Before children learn to talk there are some exercises you can do with him to help him prepare for talking. Play a game where you stick out your tongue and try to get him or her to do the same. Try to get him to mimic tongue actions, minor sounds, and facial expressions. Things like having him stick his tongue to the front top teeth, raising the tongue to the roof of the mouth then dropping it to make a clicking sound, and similar exercises will help prepare him for speaking.
If a child has a terrible time saying certain words, teach him the sign language equivalent of that word. The child can then communicate with you, teachers and others. At home, the child can learn any hand gesture to represent the word he wants to say, but teaching him the official sign language gesture might make it easier for him if attending special schools or training, since many of these types of instructors learn sign language during their own schooling.
From early on, teach your child about anything dangerous. Since your child may not be able to understand an earnest conversation about drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or even household toxins, have a strong word for all of these things. The word can just be “no!” or “yuck!” or “poison!”, but the child should learn a word that represents all these bad things, to him. If your child doesn’t speak, teach him “no” in sign language and do the sign gesture any time the child sees any of these things. Even if it’s a commercial on tv, say or gesture the danger word every time the child is exposed to anything of these “dangerous” things.
Your special needs child may require a little extra care, a little extra teaching, but that’s okay. He can still learn many things and become a productive member of society. Make things easier on him any way you can. Go online to find more tips and techniques for working with the learning disabled. You’ll help them more than you’ll ever know.
