CD10: Young Children With Special Needs Chapter 11: Social and Emotional Development

Chapter Topics Typical emotional and social skills Factors affecting development Social and emotional development in various special needs Intervention strategies to promote development

Emotional Development Have and show empathy Understanding how others feel Have and show self-control Saying “NO” Have and show self-awareness Knowing why you made that decision Self-help Ask for what you want! Taking appropriate action

Typical Emotional Skills Label and express your feelings The four basic emotions are happiness, sadness, anger and fear Seeking to understand others Regulating emotions Switch from emotion to emotion Express emotions in healthy and acceptable ways

Emotional Resilience – bouncing back Coping skills Emotional strategy – decide not to get too worked up Cognitive strategy – thinking or talking to yourself that makes the experience more comfortable (mind over matter) Behavioral strategy – seeking assistance and support

Typical Social Skills Stages of play Solo play Onlooker play Parallel play Associative play Cooperative play Entering and exiting a group Forming friendships

Factors Affecting Development Temperament Gender Stress levels Sibling relationships Parenting styles Goodness of fit between parent and child Social rejection vs. acceptance

Social Development and Special Needs Autism Developmental Delays Communication Disabilities Sensory Impairments Behavior Disorders ADD/ADHD Physical Disabilities

Emotional Development and Special Needs Autism Developmental Delays Communication Disabilities Sensory Impairments Behavior disorders ADD/ADHD Physical disabilities Social rejection and acceptance

Intervention Strategies Family interventions Consistent care High Quality Interactions Variety of learning experiences Offer affirming experiences Promoting positive attitudes Teachable moments for pro-social behavior

Teach children to be friendly Use books, role modeling, class meetings Teach children to interact with a variety of personalities Help them identify the characteristics of different personalities Help them plan to deal with different personalities What does that look like?

What else does that look like? Teach specific social and emotional skills Calm down Use your words Get help Be kind Stay with your friends Talk it over

Using Positive Behavior Support Every behavior has a message! “How can I help you get back to good behavior?” Adult / child tasks Identify the problem Brainstorm causes Make a plan Implement the plan Evaluate the outcome Retry as needed

The bottom line: The better equipped you are at being socially mature and emotionally healthy, the more you can offer to everyone in your life