Question
I have several students both in general education settings and in the Exceptional Education (ESE) classrooms who constantly have their fingers or hands in their mouths. I have asked their teachers and parents to discourage this behavior. At school, with m
Answer
You may want to try giving your ESE students a social story with pictures or drawings explaining appropriate places to keep their hands such as what you have mentioned above, "at their side, in their lap" etc. When students have something positive to focus on rather than a negative concept it is less abstract for them. Review the stories on a regular basis. Your praise and reinforcement is also a good technique. You can find out more information about social stories from Carol Grey's website: www.thegreycenter.org/socialstories.
Your students could have sensory issues where they feel a need to stimulate the oral area. A consultation with an OT could be helpful. The Grey Center also has information on sensory integration. Some school teams have found it helpful to give the student something age appropriate to stimulate their senses such as a "cush ball".
Good luck!
Sally Disney is an educational consultant working at the Southwest Ohio Regional Resource Center. She has worked with school based SLPs in a variety of settings.
Sally Disney ., M.S.
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