Tips about working with children with mood disorders in the classroom?
Question by Jess: Tips about working with children with mood disorders in the classroom?
This summer, I will be an aide for a child (age 6) diagnosed with a mood disorder. Apparently, the doctors do not want to diagnose him with bipolar because he is too young, but this is the disorder that he essentially has. Does anyone have any suggestions on was to work with children with mood disorders? I am looking for ways to intervene when his anger is escalating before it gets out of hand. He has been known to be very disruptive and destructive when he is in one of his hiperactive stages. Any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by Lady K
Speak quietly and calmly with him. He is not too young to learn deep relaxation breathing, breathing from the tummy (I teach all my grandkids to do it, it really helps for everything, even scrapes and cuts that cause upset). So teach him to do that and then do it with him. If things are going too bad, take him outside for a walk. Try to learn his early signals and triggers, working one on one with him you will be a tremendous help to his teachers and his parents if you learn them…and you will.
Challenge him a bit. Children with these disorders tend to be highly intelligent and they get bored easy, yet people will expect that he cannot do things, yet he can. A challenge will help to keep his mind occupied in a positive way.
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