Special Needs School in New York City

Floortime therapy has gained widespread prominence in the treatment of autistic children not only in the United States but also all around the world because of its simplistic but highly effective approach towards therapeutic play which can be used by both parents and healthcare professionals.

Each child with Autism is different, and because of their varying needs and demands, the therapy to be used is also different for everyone and is adjusted to their personal needs.

Floortime model or the DIR (Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based) model works mainly by stimulating the natural interests of a child. It is one of the many therapy methods and procedures recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health, which also advises pursuing only any one form of therapy at any given time.

The reason for that is most probably the mixing up of therapies and getting the patient somewhat put-off, not to mention the high unreliability in case of developmental scores. Using only any one form of therapy at any given time is deemed the most effective way for therapeutic procedures and also for their effective development and progress monitoring.

Autism generally affects the two most basic but important deficits in children – communication skills and play skills.

Floortime therapy is basically hyperactive play which helps in the total engagement of the child who has difficulties in staying interested and focusing on something singular. It can be done by a licensed therapist, a suitable healthcare professional or even by parents themselves. The main aim is to get the child interested in something that’ll catch his/her attention and gain excitement.

It involves 20-30 minute play sessions where a child’s communication skills are slowly built up step by step. If done by parents, it helps in the bonding between parent and child. Autistic children do not play like regular children, so getting involved with their play on a deeper level is the key to their development. It’ll help the children flourish and the process has shown considerable promise and development during its implementation.

Floortime therapy was developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, one of the most decorated child researcher and author in autism history.

Floortime therapy is a treatment model that's widely used to help kids with delayed developmental disorders come out of their shell and bring out the best of their potential. This therapy method encompasses of a series of steps that may be followed by parents to understand their kids with special needs better.

Observe

The key to understanding your kid is observance. Young kids usually behave in confusing and eccentric ways. Every parent ought to recognize that kids communicate through behaviors. To ascertain an excellent communication channel with your kid, you must observe, document and analyze their behaviors. By being attentive to your kid and keeping an eye on them every time, you can verify whether there's a pattern in your child’s behavior. Parents are instructed to make notes upon the assessment of behavioral patterns of your kid for future references.

Approach

Once the assessment is finished, you must approach your kid with appropriate words and gestures if you suspect that there's a natural reason to do so. To develop communication and connection with your child, you must not emphasize sensory stimuli as kids with developmental delays can react very strongly to them. You’ll bond with your kid better by acknowledging the emotional tone and focus on whatever keeps your child partaking.

Follow

Parents must follow the child’s lead. Following the lead in this reference merely implies that you must allow your kid to “take charge” and construct a learning and understanding of the things around them in their own pace. Your role should be of a facilitator in disguise while enjoying providing assistance to the child. This offers parents an understanding about what activities and topics spark the child's intrests.

Extend and expand play

Once you're alert to what is interesting and exciting of your child, you can tailor special exercises for them that don’t feel like they're being forced onto them. Participating in play sessions can provide them the opportunity to express their ideas. After making certain that they are comfortable in a play setting, you can ask those questions to stimulate their creative thinking abilities.

Closing the two-way communication

Parents open the circle the communication with the use of this approach, and the child closes it on the basis of their feedback on your queries and exercises. This may act as a string mechanism as more doors open for communication subsequently. This may also help a child realize the importance of communication.

When I started my carrier, I haven’t heard about ‘floor therapy’. For me, like most others, “floor” was only a simple surface which witnesses continuous foot traffic all day long. From a dirty walking surface of caves to many layered and imported stone-wood-metal-concrete floors, today's floors are varied and offer advanced features with the help of modern technology. That was all I knew. As I began working in the Autism field, my research introduced me to the intriguing work of Dr. Stanley Greenspan, and specifically the Floortime Approach. It never crossed my mind that a floor can be a source of rejuvenation, repose and relaxation. That it could bring back tranquility to many individuals.

It’s fascinating how babies enjoy their time on the floor, exploring their own world. On the contrary, as adults we are so busy with juggling our social and professional lives, that we have lost the magic and joy of play time. We hardly have any time to get down on the floor and play with our kids. Being a counsellor, I have come across many unsettling beliefs and opinions that adults hold when it comes to the value of such activities. Parents who discover that their child suffers from neurodevelopmental delays are often baffled with the many studies and researches available on this condition on the web and beyond. Many of those studies question the effectiveness of floor time therapy. How can floor time help them understand their child? How can playing on the floor help their child in terms of achieving developmental goals? To an extent, it’s not their fault because in today’s world we tend to focus on the end result of any given process, rather than on “the journey”. So much, that we have forgotten that there is a ‘process’ on the way to the “result”.

As a counselor my role is to suggest therapies, developmental pediatricians, neurologists and most importantly schools to my clients that will help their child understand and meet his/her unique needs. My preference has always been a school that follows the DIR model, such as the Rebecca School in New York City. Following Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s floor therapy, schools that follow this model encourage educators and parents to follow their child into his/her world. Instead of instructing children that they will be doing one exercise followed by another activity, the faculty at institutions that follow this model pay attention and understand the behavioral pattern of each individual child. They communicate with them, obstruct them playfully and persuade them towards their goal.

Every time I visit schools that follow the DIR Model (Such as Rebecca school) I am left spellbound by the unparalleled enthusiasm and positivity of the therapists, trainers and special educators. The vibrancy of both the parents and the children participating in floor time therapy activities is always very inspiring for me to witness. Floortime therapy is not just an another approach developed to help children with autism but a model that offers long lasting benefits that go beyond a regular day at school.

Before signing off, I would like you to have a look at this awe-inspiring video of Katy Perry performing live with 11 year old Jodi who is fighting autism. And always remember that beliefs hold weight only when you decide that they are true. Believe that your child can pursue any dream, breaking off all the barriers of neurodevelopmental disorders along the way.

POPULAR POSTS

Blog Archive