The POOCH Way to Smarter, Calmer ASDs

Visit 9 to Dr Johann: 19 February 2015

Lauren has had a pretty good few weeks at school. There were some flare ups, for sure! So today we learnt a new method from Dr Johann, which Lauren and us are going to try out for the next two weeks.

POOCH!

STEP 1: P-roblem

Identify what the problem is.

Some kids at school think it is funny to knock Lauren’s food container over, a couple of times a week. It drives her mad.

STEP 2: O-ptions

What can Lauren do about it? What are her options? Maybe

she could shout at them! 

she could tell them to “STOP IT”. And go right to a teacher if they don’t stop their silly behaviour.

she can choose to sit with her girlfriends during lunch breaks and get them to help look after her things, if she needs to leave for the washroom

STEP 3: O-utcome

Evaluate each option, rank 1 (bad idea) to 10 (great idea) and review the outcome.

Option 1: Shout at the kids!

Rank 1. Bad idea. Losing my temper and shouting at the boys might be just what they want. Besides, I cannot think smart when I am not calm. In fact, I say dumb things when I get ANGRY and LOSE MY TEMPER.

Fyi: the frontal lobe of our brain is where we rationalize and think through issues and problems. The back of our brain controls our impulsive behaviours. Lauren is trying to learn to use less of this part, and more of her frontal lobe. POOCH is one method to get her to exercise her reasoning and problem solutions using her frontal lobe.

Option 2: Tell the kids to STOP IT and go to person of authority for more help, if they don’t stop.

Rank 7. Pretty good idea. I can show the kids I am assertive and I mean what I say. The teacher can also help to discipline those naughty kids.  But I feel a little nervous having to face up to the boys myself.

Option 3: Sit with her girlfriends during lunch breaks and get their help if she needs it.

Rank 10. Good idea. Sitting together with my friends will make me less a target for teasing and my girlfriends can also help me.

STEP 4: C-hoose

Lauren now chooses the option based on the best potential outcome. So, she chooses Option 3.

STEP 5: H-ow did it go?

Lauren reviews the results of her decision, based on the outcome. Did the boys stop pushing her food container over? If yes, then she has met with SUCCESS! If this does not stop the kids from teasing her, then she goes back to review her options and choose another option or come up with new ones; and goes through steps 3,4 and 5 again, until she gets to successfully resolve the problem.

Have you tried this method before? Or do you have other approaches which has helped your ASD teenager?

Think before we act...it is a lot harder than you think.