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When you work with
or have a child with Autism, you hear the word perseveration quite often. What
does this word mean and how does it affect your interactions with the child you
are working with? Let’s start with the definition. Perseveration: 1. Uncontrollable repetition of
a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence
or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic
disorder.2. The tendency to continue or repeat an act or activity after the
cessation of the original stimulus. The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton
Mifflin Company. Those of you dealing with children on the Autism spectrum have
probably seen behaviors that fit this definition, but it can also be seen in
children with other disabilities to lesser extents. Teaching children to handle
perseveration is important. Like sensory
sensitivity, you cannot cure it, but you can teach a child how to deal with the
perseverations in order to function in day to day life.
What do these
perseverations look like? They can
manifest themselves in infinite ways. A
child’s need for a schedule that is consistent is one form, a repetitive word
that is said over and over again, having a favorite game to play or book to
read that is done over and over again.
All of these are forms of perseveration.
Each form can be dealt with if you look at it, recognize it as a
perseveration, and handle it as a need of the child. Remember to work with a child’s
perseveration, not against it.
The schedule is the
easiest of all to deal with even though it may seem daunting at first. While the child may seem to need the exact
schedule every day, you can usually work with the child to get to where you can
visually warn the child of upcoming changes in advance, and the new schedule
will be fine as long as there is a schedule to follow. In my class, as soon as I know there will be
a schedule change, we begin talking about it.
We mark the day on the calendar as a special day. The day of the schedule change we write down
the new schedule and go over it. I answer any questions about the new schedule
the students may have to alleviate any fears they may have. If unplanned schedule changes come up during
the day, even unscheduled announcements, my administrators tell me in advance,
so I can let my kids know. Using these warnings, the children still have a
schedule, they just learn to adapt and adjust with help.
If you have a child
that is perseverating on an item there are many things you can do. You can give the child specific times to use
and focus on the item using if then statements: If you do this then you can use
your blue blocks for 10 minutes. Or you can allow them to put them in a safe
place for use at a specified time. I do
this in my class. Each student has their
own carrel and they have their own items they need. They know that at the end of each class they
are allowed time to go to their seats and have time to themselves for sensory
or perseveration time whatever they need.
Another thing I do is use these favorite things to grab their attention
in lessons. I make lessons using these
items for the students to engage them and keep them interested. For example: if I am doing a lesson on
capitalization, I write sentences about each student and their interest. I have
them correct their own sentences. The entire class is engages looking for their
own name and to see if I get the right interest for each of their friends. EX. tim went to the park to play on the
train If I had a student who
perseverated on trains. Instead of
fighting the perseveration, I use it as a tool.
The most difficult
form of perseveration is when a child begins to perseverate on another
person. This can happen and this does
need intervention. In this instance the
student needs to be taught the appropriate way to relate to other people. You cannot stop the student from
perseveration on the other person, but you can and must teach them socially
acceptable ways to interact. I have
found that letting your child know that their actions will drive the other
person away to work the best. Ex. “When
you sit so close to her, send her notes and run her down in the halls she feels
uncomfortable and does not want to be your friend anymore. Do you want her to be your friend? Ok, let me help you learn how to keep her as
your friend.” Then give very specific
guidelines to your child and practice them.
Also, this needs to be something that is communicated between parents
and teachers so that it is supported in both settings. With both parents and school working
together, the student can learn to develop healthy relationships.
Everyone perseverates on something from time to time. With our kids, just take it a little farther. The important thing to remember is to work
with it not against it.
For more information you may want to start here:
http://www.pediastaff.com/resources-autistic-perseveration
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