Thursday, November 17, 2011

Reflection 4

Before reading Essential Element 4 I did not understand the difference between structure and control. I had thought structure was pretty much a rigid pattern that needed to be followed. Now I see that structure is a guide to go by and that it can be adjusted as needed. By learning the difference I am better able to see how structure can be important to a person with FASD. They need the routine but they also need to be able to adjust it to work for them. Having structure lets them know that path they need to take and allows them to develop the skills they need.

The information in this chapter helped me understand how one minor change could affect the whole day. I took the time to think about my day and I realized that I do have a routine even though I didn’t realize it. Then I thought about what adjustments I would have to make if something in my day changed without me being prepared for it. Pretty soon I was thinking how it would affect the rest of my day and I ended up becoming stressed. I can only imagine how a person with rigid thinking patterns could become confused and unsure of how to behave when changes happen.

A person with FASD often needs a routine in order to behave appropriately. Because they have cognitive deficits their learned behavior may not carry over to other situations. This can cause them to not know how to behave or how to deal with changes. So a structured approach to their routines can help them move more positively through their daily life. By knowing this information I believe I would be better able to help someone with FASD.

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