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How to use visual schedules to reduce challenging behaviour

Visual schedules can help an autistic child be less anxious. They present daily activities, as well as the sequence in which these activities will unfold. A high level of predictability brings comfort and will even reduce challenging behaviour. 

Depending on the child’s developmental level, the schedule can be made with photographs, drawings or pictures. Sometimes they can have written words or actual objects. The schedule can be displayed on a wall or on paper. For children who go to school, the schedule can be placed inside a notebook. 

Also, parents can add a todo list to each activity. This shows all of the steps the child needs to take in order for a specific task to be completed. 

Are visual schedules effective at reducing challenging behaviour in autistic children?

Yes. According to a study published on solutions to decrease challenging behaviour, the use of activity schedules can help children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. 

The study showed that visual schedules worked for children with difficulty following rules. The authors point out that visual schedules promote self-regulation and independence.

The introduction of a visual schedule is particularly important when it comes to children who have academic demands to meet. These children sometimes have difficulties meeting these demands, and this is where the challenging behaviour commonly occurs. The visual schedule can reduce the stress experienced by parents as well as promote learning and cooperation in children. 

Example of a visual schedule on the wall of a classroom.
autism aba therapy lindsey malc side by side therapy visual schedule

Why should you consider visual scheduling? 

Visual schedules offer the perfect opportunity to teach an autistic child to complete the required activities in a day. Thanks to the todo list, you can break down a task into smaller steps, which are easier to complete. Small steps are easily achieved and provide opportunities for more frequent reinforcement.

Visual schedules offer to the child one of the things they look for the most: predictability. As they will learn to use the schedule, they will often become less anxious. Moreover, by using prompts and reinforcement, as you have been taught by your Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, you can decrease resistance and escape maintained behaviours. 

In simple terms, you can see the visual schedules as a constant reminder for your child. They will know exactly which activities to complete every day and where they will occur. Most importantly, they will know the order in which things will happen. . 

How to use visual schedules to improve your child’s behaviour 

As with any new intervention, you should expect for the child to resist the introduction of a schedule. Practice together, using plenty of praise and reinforcement.

Be patient and give your child the time they need to become comfortable with using the schedule. Keep in mind that some time might pass before they accept the visual prompt, following the routine as expected. At first, offer schedule check reminders frequently.

In time, and after plenty of practice, the child will indeed turn to the schedule, enjoying its predictability. The interesting thing is that, by predicting and in turn enjoying the activities you have included on the schedule, your little one will have fewer opportunities to misbehave. 

Be sure to acknowledge the efforts the child is making in following the schedule. Use simple phrases like “good job checking your schedule” or “nice work keeping up with the to do list”. You can give your child thumbs up, offer a smile or offer a hug. What matters is that you recognize they are trying, celebrating even the smallest achievement together.

You can try adding a preferred activity at the end of the schedule alternatively, so that he/she will understand that he/she can engage in that activity once everything else has been completed. Offer options to children who are able to choose; if your child has trouble making choices, select an activity you already know he/she enjoys. 

Will visual schedules bring a difference to our daily routine?

Once again, the answer is yes. The child will learn to follow a simple schedule, becoming more organized as a result. He/she will thrive from knowing what lays ahead, no longer feeling confused. The familiar routine presented through visual aids will genuinely reduce the level of anxiety your child feels.

Using visual schedules will help your child make transitions between activities as well as between tasks within an activity. By using the todo list, and presenting the child with the exact steps to follow for an activity, you will reduce the risk of inattention and/or misbehaviour.

Using a visual schedule will give your autistic child a better chance to succeed. Challenging behaviour meets an unmet need that your child is experiencing. Challenging behaviour can be attributed to one of the 4 functions of behaviour.

World Autism Awareness Day: April 2, 2020

Add Your Voice to the Giant Autism Billboard for World Autism Awareness Day
Add Your Voice to the Giant Autism Billboard for World Autism Awareness Day

World Autism Awareness Day is today, which means it’s a great time to contribute to the Giant Autism Billboard (see it here). It’s a thought-provoking project centred around the importance of autism awareness, and it stems from the belief that the sharing of lived experiences is a great way to help others gain a better understanding of neurodiversity.

The Giant Autism Billboard, an online collaboration that invites autistic people of all ages as well as their family members, caretakers, and doctors to condense their life experience and advice about autism into one pearl of wisdom to share with the world, the idea, thought, or message they most feel represents their experience. Finding a way to distill life with neurodiversity into one statement is no mean feat, but it has inspired many voices throughout the autism community to offer their unique input.

Autism Awareness Day is only a starting point

The large collaborative project serves to illustrate an idea that’s central to autism awareness, which is that no two neurodiverse people are alike and no one’s experience with autism is exactly the same. This helps to create an understanding of autism as a spectrum of behavioural differences which are experienced uniquely, defying negative stereotypes and embracing the idea that neurodiversity can bring skills in addition to challenges. The project celebrates the voices of those affected, acknowledging that they are most able to provide true autism awareness and amplifying their voices to contribute to the cause.

The Giant Autism Billboard will be featured on the We The Parents website during the month of April, which has been designated as World Autism Awareness month. The site was founded in 2017 by parents Neve and Keane as a welcoming, judgement-free resource which parents can look to for advice, and takes special interest in supporting families affected by autism.            

I have contributed and I hope that you will as well.

Lindsey

Lindsey Malc: Inspired Founder & Clinical Director

Read time: 2 minutes

Hello, my name is Lindsey Malc. I’m the founder and Clinical Director of Side by Side Therapy. In 2013, I became a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. I have spent my entire career working with children with special needs and their families.  I have extensive experience in clinical as well as community settings. I have worked primarily with autistic children but have considerable experience working with typically developing children with challenging behaviour as well. 

I graduated with a Master of Applied Disability Studies degree from Brock University. I also hold an Honours Bachelor of Social Work degree from Lakehead University. I worked for many years at Zareinu Educational Centre (now known as Kayla’s Children Centre).  At Zareinu, I held many positions, from classroom assistant to Behaviour Analyst.  In my 14 years at Zareinu, I was fortunate to learn from a trans-disciplinary team of therapists who were passionate about helping our students achieve their maximums. Working with Psychologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Special Education Teachers, Early Childhood Educators and Recreational Therapists provided me with a very well rounded understanding of and respect for these vital disciplines. 

How I, Lindsey Malc, can help your child and family

I offer 4 services based on your family’s needs.  

I will help you better understand how you and the environment are impacting and maintaining your child’s behaviour.  Using Applied Behaviour Analysis, I will provide you with alternatives and help guide you to effective ways that you can change your child’s behaviour. Looking at the antecedents, behaviours and consequences will be the starting point for this service.  We will meet weekly or biweekly and will discuss what has happened since our last meeting. I will ask you to take some data because it can be difficult to remember everything and then analyze the information and identify patterns.  

I work with private schools or daycares to identify the function of challenging behaviour and to develop intervention plans that will be effective and easy to implement. Individual programs or class-wide behaviour interventions can be developed.  Realistic data tracking and follow up are provided.  These meetings can happen weekly, bi-weekly or monthly depending on your needs.

If your child with autism or other developmental disability is struggling with a specific skill or skill set, I can develop a targeted intervention to address this need.  I would develop the intervention and teach you or a caregiver how to implement it. We will meet weekly or bi-weekly. Manageable data collection would be an integral part of this intervention with the goal of empowering you to implement the same strategies to address future goals as they arise. 

If you’re looking for a comprehensive ABA Therapy program, to address all areas of your child’s development I can be the Clinical Supervisor for your child’s ABA program.  I qualify as a Clinical Supervisor for the Ontario Autism Program and am listed on the  OAP provider list.  I will complete a curriculum assessment and develop all of the teaching programs and targets for your child’s ABA program. I am happy to work with you to develop your child’s treatment team and to train the staff in all of the behavioural interventions that they will be implementing.  Supervisions would occur either weekly or monthly, depending on the supervision structure of your ABA team.

Professional Services

If you are pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification, I am also available to supervise all of part of your experience hours.

Photograph of Lindsey Malc, Behaviour Analyst

I would be happy to discuss your ABA Therapy programming needs. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Call me: 1-877-797-0437

Email me

Thanks for your time and I look forward to working with you to address your child’s special needs.

Lindsey Malc, BCBA

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