Autism Discussion Page Four Steps to Identify Emotions! For children on the spectrum, emotions often come on suddenly with little warning. They often cannot identify the emotion or connect it to the event trigger the emotion. The same time we are teaching the child to label the emotion, it is important that we also help them connect the emotion to a specific event if possible. Then it becomes easier to teach the child that the emotion is fleeting; it will come and go as the event causes it subsides. Often, under intense emotion the child panics and does not understand why they are feeling that way, that it will not last long, and that they will be “safe” while experiencing it. Try using these four easy steps to identifying emotions. 1. Label: Label the child’s emotion, “ Johnny, you look scared!” 2. Connect: Connect the emotion to the event, “ Maybe scared because bowling is new for you.” 3. Validate: Validate that the feeling is OK, “It is ok to feel scared when you are trying something new!” 4. Reassure: “Let me help you. Once we do it, it will become familiar and less scary.” When this approached is used we are (1) identifying and labeling the emotion for the child, (2) connecting it to the event possible causing it, (3) validating that it is natural to feel the emotion, than (4) reassuring and supporting the child through the emotion.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 06:37:15 +0000
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