By: Dr. Puja Kapoor: Paediatric Neurologist & Co-founder of Continua kids
Special needs children… They may, at times, lag in meeting the intellectual challenges, but emotionally they are at par in understanding the sentiments or feelings of other person. They can understand the meaning of change of tone, pitch, intensity and volume and its significance. So, with this background there are few tips as how to bring in communication with special needs children.
- Nonverbal Communication and Gestures: Apart from verbal communication, gestures, body language and eye contact are other alternate ways to communicate your feelings and emotions. They are equally important in transmitting the information as verbal cues are. The eye contact should not portray pity or mercy, but trust and confidence. Focussed eye contact with and gestures help them understand and follow the command easily and clearly.
- Use picture: Instead of using long monotonous language, use pictures symbolising the act, procedure. Their visualisation is at times better than auditory attention. Use of flash cards, pictures helps in associating the act and act as a long term memory.
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