Case study on Transitions

Background

K. is six years old and attends a special school. He has difficulties with transitions which cause him stress. He also requires support with emotional regulation. He likes completing his work and has a particular interest in Thomas the Tank Engine.

K. can become stressed and dysregulated when he  transitions to a different play yard, a different bathroom, to his classroom in the mornings, lining up and making transitions between activities. It was observed during these occasions that he will lie down on the floor, bang his fists, hit, bite and throw chairs.

Stress Responses

• Difficulty managing change
• Becomes anxious when presented with change
• When a change occurs he finds this unpredictable
• K. processes visual information more easily than verbal information
• If change is required in his teacher finds it difficult to introduce the change to him
• K. was using a whole class schedule which was not individualised

Supports

The following supports were used:

• K. needs photographs of where he is going to help reduce anxiety
• He needs an individualised schedule indicating not just that he is going to play outside but what he will do when he is outside
• He benefits from using a travel whiteboard so that a supporting adult can draw what is happening next if a specific photograph visual is not available
• Using a travel schedule helps him remember where he is transitioning to
• Using an individualised travel schedule helps reduce verbal instruction which K. finds difficult to process at this key times of his day.
• Using a countdown strip 5,4,3,2,1 (see example below) helps prepare K. for a change either for a an activity or location
• K. is also learning about his emotions and gettin support with emotional regulation. This has included introducing emotions matching tasks to help him identify his emotions and activities he can do to help him calm (e.g. watching a Thomas the Tank Engine DVD, having time out).