Fast-forward 3 years, due to PICA (a disorder where you eat things that are not food) the only thing Alex wanted to do with art supplies was eat them. Honestly, eating stuff was all he wanted to do in general! He didn't enjoy conceptual play of any kind. Everything was about licking stuff. Play ball? Nope, lick ball. Read a book? Nope, eat book. Cuddle on the couch? Nope, lick mommy. I'll admit, this kinda broke my heart, but not for long. I'm just not the type of gal who can easily admit defeat, and I didn't want to resign myself and Alex to a lifetime of "lick-based-play."
I started trying to think of ways that Alex and I could come together and enjoy doing something as a family. Art was an obvious first choice for me, and it was easy to convert it to something that could safely accommodate Alex's PICA. I started with berries. I defrosted frozen blueberries in my microwave, and we did watercolor paintings with them. Then I made edible playdoh, and we played with that too. Eating art supplies safely wasn't the ultimate goal though, It was to use them for their intended purpose! Over time and with some work, we were able to transition to children's paint, and now at almost 7 years old, he is painting for fun for prolonged periods of time. Here is how we did it:
1. Start with supplies you feel comfortable giving your child. If they are lickers and chompers like Alex, it's important that it be edible so that you can follow the next few tips. Try food based paint!
2. Use a space that can get messy. Our old occupational therapist generously gave us her old dining table, and it has been amazing! We use it hard. It's easy to clean and I do not fret about getting it dirty. If you do worry about that stuff, put something down that can get dirty.
3. Honor the behaviors you want to see, and ignore the ones you don't (this is why you have to have edible supplies if they're prone to eating them, and a table you can get dirty). This is basic ABA stuff handed down to me by Alex's old ABA therapist. When Alex licks his paint, I do not acknowledge it. When Alex paints on the chair instead of the paper, I do not acknowledge it. I look away and disengage. The moment Alex's brush touches his paper though, I clap my hands and celebrate with him. This teaches that it is more rewarding to paint on the page! Over time, he stopped licking and started painting.
4. Be realistic. Alex's attention span used to measure at less than 10 seconds. In the early days of painting, we painted for 10 seconds. Yes that's right, I prepped all the supplies and got everything all ready, followed by the necessary cleaning chores, just for 10 seconds of fun. I just made those 10 seconds positive, and tried to sustain his attention a bit longer each time. As he has matured he has participated longer and longer. Now he will ask me to paint, and then sit there and do it for half an hour! These things take time, but are so worth it! One also has to redefine what kind of art to expect. No, I'm not expecting Alex to paint a family portrait or the house etc. It's enough for me that he is experiencing the art process, and doing something functionally that he enjoys!
5. Don't push too hard. If you are anxious, upset about spills, angry that it didn't go well, arguing about eating paint, feeling discouraged etc. your kiddo is probably going to feel similarly about the whole thing, and not want to try next time. Just go into it open minded and with as few expectations as possible. If they only lick or throw the brush, it's ok, just be ready to party down the second that paint hits the paper!
No comments:
Post a Comment