Library Thursdays: No more meltdowns

No more meltdowns: Positive strategies for managing and preventing out-of-control behaviour by Jed Baker (Future Horizons, 2008) is a book to help deal with behaviour problems that don't seem to respond to the usual techniques. Baker, author of the popular Social Skills Picture Books, uses a positive approach to creating plans to prevent negative behaviour. Baker has experience working with people on the autistic spectrum and although this book is not specifically for people with Down syndrome or autism, the visual learner is well suited to the approach he takes.

The strategies include accepting and appreciating your child, lowering your expectations, and distracting to reduce the behaviour when it happens. To limit the behaviours in the future the cause must be determined and Functional Behavioural Assessment (Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence (ABC)) is used. Baker provide 15 plans of common concerns such as: refusal to eat healthy foods, doing schoolwork, cleaning up, waiting, stopping a fun activity, bullying, and going to bed. Baker provides a scaffold to create your own plan.

This book would be useful to families and teachers who struggle to figure out how to address behaviour issues. These techniques will work well with people with Down syndrome because they encourage determining the reason for the behaviour, accepting the child's limitations, teaching skills required to be successful in alternative behaviour and using visuals or whatever other supports the child needs.

Other behaviour resources:

Kathleen Feeley & Emily Jones, Strategies to address challenging behaviour in children with Down syndrome, Down Syndrome Research and Practice 2008, 12:(2) 153-163.

Stepping stones Triple P workbook and DVD

If you'd like to borrow No more meltdowns or any other resource from the library, just call or email us.