SUCCESS STORY FOR ECHO

Two Success Stories on how EChO can provide influence in the classroom and home:

A sister and brother were referred to EChO because of their extreme tantrums that often included violence. One of the children would put on his coat and announce he was going to catch the bus when he was mad. He would then spend the next several hours, angry and pouting around the classroom - easily set off at any moment. The mother expressed concerns about their tempers and wanted help at home. The family began FSP/PCIT therapy with Exchange Clubs'. In the classroom, we instituted the use of a timer to help the children understand when transitions were going to occur. We also worked on teaching about feelings and other classroom strategies. The FSP Specialist helped the parents understand how they handled disagreements were influencing the children's behavior (storming out to the bus when mad). The parents worked on handling their disagreements in a calmer way or when the children could not observe. The mom, especially, also started spending more positive, fun time with the children. The daughter's behavior greatly changed as she got excited to get ready for kindergarten. The son's behavior has greatly calmed down - he still has anger outbursts but they are much fewer and far between. The family continues to work with FSP.

A 5 year old boy was referred to EChO because he was not connected to other children, hit others and whined and throw himself on the ground in frustration. At the same time, he can read and write and there were no concerns about his academic readiness for kindergarten. When observing him in the classroom, the EChO consultant noticed how he rarely had two way conversations with others, and how quiet he spoke often trailing off his words so no one could understand him. At the same time, he would watch others play and want to join in but not seem to know how to approach the situation. When talking with the parents, the consultant learned that the family has lived in Durham for 2 years but don't really have any friends. The parents are intellectuals who are very immersed in their work. EChO recommended OT and a social skills group for the child. The teachers worked with him on how to ask others to play and to respond to others when they reached out to him. They also broke frustrating tasks down into steps so he could ask for help at the point he needed it rather than falling apart. The parents joined a neighborhood pool so they could meet other children who might be in kindergarten with their son next year and start to create a social network.