Evaluating the Child's Response to the Environment
Contents
Many children respond differently to a variety of sensory input (stimuli). Understanding the patterns of each child's response to the environment can assist parents and instructors in determining the types of toys or activities the child may enjoy (potential reinforcers) as well as assist in determining the types of stimuli that should and should not be used to teach or reinforce the child. Observe the child carefully and describe his/her reaction to different stimuli.
Sound
Visual Stimuli
1. Can the child identify photographs? How does he respond to line drawings? If you vary the contrast of colors in line drawings (i.e. brown on tan vs. black on white), or highlight the background, does he respond differently?
2. How does the child respond to different lighting? Does he perform differently under fluorescent lighting, soft lighting or bright lighting?
3. Does the child respond differently to moving vs. still stimuli?
4. Does the child respond differently to visual stimuli if he his moving?
5. Does the child tend to "stim" on spinning or moving objects?
6. Can the child complete puzzles? If so, what types? Can he put puzzles together upside down? Does he appear to be attending to just the shape, the picture or both?
7. Can the child take toys apart and put them together?
8. Does the child anticipate the route to familiar places? Can he find familiar objects if they've been moved?
9. Does the child respond to one small part of a picture rather than the total picture?
Movement, Touch and Awareness of Body in Space
1. Does the child appear to be "always in motion" or more sedentary?
2. Are movements repetitive or random?
3. How does the child respond to swinging, spinning or dancing in your arms?
4. Is there a difference in the way the child responds to sudden movements vs. slow, steady movements?
5. How does the child respond to small spaces? Large spaces?
6. Does the child walk on top of objects rather than around them?
7. How does the child respond to different textures in clothing or toys?
8. How does the child respond to hugs vs. light touches? Is there a difference in the way he responds to slow steady massage vs. short staccato touches? Does he respond differently to touches on various parts of his body?
9. Will the child tolerate teeth brushing and face washing? Does he often put things in his mouth?
10. Does the child eat a variety of textures of foods?
11. Does the child tend to "stim" by physically manipulating objects or body parts?
12. Is the child able to sequence a number of movements together to perform a task?
13. Cant he child sequence a number of different actions with toys?
14. Is the child's overall muscle tone floppy or stiff? Does this change when the child makes purposeful movement?
Taste
1. Does the child eat a wide variety of flavors of foods? Does he appear to prefer spicy, salty, sweet or bland foods?
2. Does the child ever lick or mouth items before interacting with them?
Smell
1. Does the child appear sensitive to perfumes, cleaning agents or other chemicals?
2. Are there particular smells the child appears to enjoy?
3. Does the child frequently smell things before interacting with them?
4. Does the child appear to "stim" on smells?
T. Vail 6/02