I wanna play!

Sometimes as educators or parents we want our children to be "structured" all of the time and we forget about play time. Its apart of a child's behavior for them to want to play. This is where Play Therapy can come in.

Play Therapy is comminly used with children between the ages of 3 and 12. This specific type of therapy is a means for children to express their feelings and emotions in an natural and calm atmosphere. This is usually used to pinpoint the reason for a childs behavior issue. As we know children learn through play, with this children can get to know themselves and others.

The therapy can be conducted with a few children playing and interacting together or one-on-one with a therapist or interventionist. While the child is playing the therapist or interventionist may be able to find the reason for the child's unruly behavior and may be able to work on that behavior while also playing with the child.

I am an advocate for play therapy/intervention. I think this should be implemented into more programs, especially programs in Saudi Arabia. This helps the child break away from their everyday stresses and get a chance to break away from their everyday instruction.

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

Applied behavioral Analysis (also known as ABA) is a philosophy of a clear and systematic approach to describe, observe and measure behavior.  With the use of psychological and educational techniques, this approach is individualized and is applied to each individual child differently.

ABA is best known for treating children with Autism and other developmental disabilities, to minimize behavioral disorders and behavioral symptoms, however, ABA can also be used as an intervention to help people in areas including:

AIDS prevention

Parenting

Education

Medical procedures

Language acquisition

Severe mental disorders

In Applied Behavioral Analysis programs, the intention of the care giver is to increase skills in language, play, and socialization, while minimizing the behaviors that get in the child’s way of learning.  This is done by teaching the child the skills they need to learn from their natural environment. First, the caregiver has to identify the specific behaviors, and then by the ABA approach modify/reduce the behaviors of the child that are inappropriate.

There are different types of ABA approaches. Some approaches include:

Discrete Trial Training (DTT) which is a series of repeated lessons taught one- on-one. This approach encourages motivation of the child by rewarding certain positive behaviors.

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) instead of targeting all behaviors at one time ABA therapists focuses on behaviors that can lead to improvements in other areas of behaviors.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) I personally am familiar with this approach, this teaches children who lack language skills to communicate with other people by giving a picture of a desired item to a partner. Later and after much practice, this evolves into forming sentences and conversations.

Combined Intervention this includes blending all these before mentioned approaches together. This can also be beneficial for the child, being that every child learns differently.

Ultimately, what works for the child is to be determined between the parents and the interventionists.

In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing (JISH) offers individualized services in Applied Behavioral Analysis.  

To inquire, here is the contact info:

Telephone (00966 2) 6675311

Fax number (00966 2) 6675233

e-mail us: jish@jish.com.sa