Unlocking the Mind

"I feel life is a journey and we all have to learn to ride the storm, for some of us it can seem more like a tidal wave, but with every storm the sun eventually comes back out."

--Alyson Bradley

I remember when my next door neighbors moved in; I was excited because the family had a little boy that my daughter could play with.  It was some time before we met the family, but the little boy, Connor was outside all the time.  Connor played and played, but it was playing line none other I had seen before.  Connor was in the front yard for what seemed like hours, picking up leaves and dropping them to the ground.  He repeated the action over and over again not stopping till his mom and dad called him inside.  We of course finally met Connor and his family and although he was a playmate for my daughter, again the playing was very different from what I imagined.  Connor is Autistic, and although he did not mind being around my daughter, the two never engaged one another.  My daughter was in her imaginative world of dolls and castles while Connor was in his play world of repeated actions.  Over and over, he rolled the wheels of a car.  He seemed content in his world, but as his mom would tell me she so wished she could be part of that world.  Connor she would tell me hated to be hugged and touched.  She was an outsider in her own son’s world, struggling to get in, but not quite making it.  Connor and his family became close friends with our family, and we even at times cared for Connor while his mom had to work.   Connor was never any trouble, loved to eat apples with my daughter, sitting alongside her playing with the wheels on a car or truck.  Connor had lots of language, but for the most part spoke when spoken to.  He was in an inclusive program at school, as began to blossom more and more, trying to engage in interactions.  He still loved throwing leaves and rocks up and down in the front yard for what seemed like hours. 

I had always wanted to unlock the mind of a child like Connor, allowing him and his family to connect.  Now it seems I am encountering more and more children like Connor through my work; some more severe than others, but all falling somewhere on the Autism spectrum.  Matt a child in my program uses sign language to communicate; he has no language, but when I look into his eyes, I can see sparkles of understanding and recognition.  He is not blank, but full of ideas and promise that are struggling to be set free.  Tommy has a difficult time sitting close to friends and finds noise unbearable.  Often times he covers his ears screaming, “It’s too loud!”  Other times he can’t sit still, but needs to be moving, moving, and moving.  Matt has been evaluated and diagnosed, Tommy has not.  Tommy is in the beginning stages of being evaluated.   

These children have such potential and an even greater amount of love and empathy to share with those around them.  I would like to unlock the mind of children with Autism.  My research would focus on treatments to do just that.  Such a contribution would allow children like Matt, Tommy and Connor greater opportunities for learning.  Developmentally children with Autism would on par with other children.  They would no longer be seen as different, their behavior being questioned, but the same as their peers.  They would be able to share what they have learned while also excelling academically.  Children with Autism would be able to experience relationships and interactions, feeling connected with those around them.   Children with Autism would be able to experience childhood and life with a greater sense of normalcy.

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities." 

-- Dr Seuss  

Research Process

I have chosen the topic of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) with a focus on children who have other disabilities such as a ADHD.  The topic intrigues me because I have most recently encountered children in my program who have been diagnosed as ODD and are being treated for ADHD, and children who are exhibiting extreme and often times erratic, defiant and destructive behavior in the classroom.  I have been very reflective because I want to provide these children every opportunity to grow in a positive, nurturing environment.  I am at times at a loss because the behavior can be overwhelming and difficult.  I was curious to find out if other conditions were present in children with ODD and if there was a connection that exacerbated ODD.   Within this research, I have also been searching for information and resources to provide teaching teams and parents with support and strategies as well better understanding of the behavior. 

I was uncertain at the start of the process because I thought it would be difficult to find adequate material on the subject.  Once you begin such a process, you are not sure if you are pursuing the process in the correct manner, or when finding appropriate research are you going to fully understand and be able to interpret what is being read.  For me, Google is a good place to start a very general and broad search.  I did this to see if my ideas on the subject were valid.  Doing research is not a new concept for me; however the topic of the research is far different.  My extensive research experience is in terms of historical research as it pertains to news events, sports events and historical events.  There certainly was not any interpretation of statistics nor did findings need to be applied to every day practice.  I am at an advantage during this stage of the research game.  I not only have resources from previous course work, but I also have the Walden Library link at my disposal.  I often use pro-quest and did during this process. 

In my research I was surprised to find that children with ODD have difficulty relating to peers and adults, rather than just having the inability to contort their emotions and reactions.  Children can be successful socially as well as academically, but appropriate use and exposure to different strategies must be in place (Schachar, & Wachsmuth, 1990).  

How did others approach the research process?  Did anyone find they had too much material?  How did you pull what was important from the material? 

References

Schachar, R., Wachsmuth, R. (1990). Oppositional Disorder in Children: A Validation Study Comparing Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Disorder and Normal Control Children.  Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 1089-1102.