Strategies and Environmental Supports for a Child With ASD
Molly is a 4-year-old preschool child with ASD and significant expressive and receptive language deficits. She seldom uses her language spontaneously to communicate with peers and teachers. She has a difficult time following directions and transitioning from one activity to the next. Molly is very fearful of social situations and often avoids social interactions. Molly spends the vast majority of her time on the playground alone with little peer interaction. Molly engages in stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping, vocalizations, and eye gazing. She has been noted to slap herself in the head and has recently begun slapping parents and teachers. Molly is noted to have a short attention span, poor motor coordination, difficulty tying her shoes and managing snaps and buttons, and sensory-seeking needs.
Based on the above case study of Molly, you will write a 2–3-page informative essay that analyzes how Molly’s behavior, social skills, cognitive skills, and sensory-motor skills can be addressed. This essay should include specific examples of strategies and environmental supports that would be beneficial for Molly given her identified individual needs. Be sure to address all four areas of need (behavior, social, cognitive, sensory-motor).
ASD CASE STUDY: MOLLY
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ASD Case Study: Molly
Molly’s behavior, social skills, cognitive skills, and sensory-motor skills can be addressed through various strategies and environmental supports. It is essential to consider Molly’s needs and tailor interventions to her specific challenges.
Behavior
To address Molly's behavioral challenges, it is crucial to implement effective evidence-based strategies for children with ASD. One such approach is using positive reinforcement, which provides a desirable reward or consequence in response to a desired behavior. For example, when Molly successfully follows directions or transitions smoothly from one activity to the next, she could be rewarded with a sticker or a small toy that she finds reinforcing. This will help to strengthen the association between the desired behavior and the positive consequence and increase the likelihood that Molly will engage in the desired behavior in the future. Another effective strategy for addressing Molly's behavior is using visual supports, such as visual schedules or picture cards. These supports can help provide clear and concrete information about what is expected of Molly and can aid in transitioning from one activity to the next. By giving these visual cues, Molly may be better able to understand and follow directions and experience less anxiety and frustration during transitions.
Social Skills
Given Molly's fear of social situations and avoidance of social interactions, providing her with opportunities to practice and develop her social skills in a safe and supportive environment is essential. One strategy that may be beneficial is using short social stories, illustrated stories that explain social situations and appropriate behaviors concretely (Wright et al., 2016). Social accounts can help Molly understand and navigate social situations and provide her with the language and skills she needs to interact with peers and teachers. Another strategy that may be helpful is the use of peer modeling, in which a typically developing peer or a peer with strong social skills is paired with Molly to model appropriate social behaviors and provide opportunities for social interaction. By observing and interacting with a peer model, Molly may be more likely to engage in social interactions and develop her social skills.
Cognitive Skills
To address Molly's short at...