How to Stop Children from Hand Pulling and Start Talking

►► 5 Minute Activity to teach Communication instead of Hand Pulling→ https://www.agentsofspeech.com/handpu...

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Hand pulling is a form of communication!
Hand pulling or guiding is a way that she needs help and wants you to grab that thing for her. There’s a reason why hand pulling is a common trait in delayed children. That’s because it’s actually useful! Many of our students get by in real life by using this method. Sadly, social rules are written by those neurotypical, so in order for a child (especially one on the spectrum), we must teach them the appropriate way to communicate so that they can cope with everyday life.

Be careful that you’re making hand pulling into a routine. Many parents will proceed to ask questions like “what do you want?” or command the child to speak first before allowing the child to get what he wants. In this case, the whole routine of hand pulling, responding to your question or imitating your sound becomes reinforced. Children would think that they have to start the whole “conversation” with a hand pull first. The key is to change this routine with something easier.

Teach a better and easier way: signing or talking!
To change the story at home, you need to change the hand pulling into something else first. Most often than not, that something is a simple tapping gesture. This slight change is a lot more socially appropriate and makes the child wait for you to respond instead of him doing all the pulling. It’s difficult to get a child to respond to you when all she’s thinking about is pulling you to where the desired item is at! Teach a different gesture where he’s supposed to wait instead! After he masters tapping, you can then teach other gestures, sounds, or even words.

Be active to create opportunities and provide enough repetition!
The biggest problem is that there isn’t enough repetition for a child to learn the appropriate way to communicate (speaking). You need to be proactive and create situations where your child will need to communicate with you. Instead of waiting for the child to want something then initiate by pulling your hand… You should bring the desired item close and teach your child to do gestures, sounds or words at least 5 times in one go. How? Give less and if they want more, then she’d have to communicate again. For more instructions, you can join our micro-course (link above).