Like children with other
neurologically-based disorders,
children with bipolar disorder often
have difficulty in novel situations
and don’t know how to behave
appropriately. When given some sort
of structure or script, however, they
are far more successful. Social stories,
which have been used by children
with autism spectrum disorders,
prepare the child in advance for a
given situation so he can respond
appropriately when that situation
occurs.
Social stories can be simple, such
as talking through and role-playing
how to perceive that someone
else doesn’t want to be splashed.
They can also be longer, such as a
20-page book on going to a new
camp or school. It’s important to
not only give the child information
on the situation, but also to reassure
the child that he is capable of
handling it. The story can also be
a jumping off point for discussing
“what if”scenarios, so the child has
a chance to practice appropriate
reactions for different outcomes.
Involving the child in creating the
story, either by coming up with what
the child might say or by illustrating
it, is a great way to capture the
child’s interest.
Using Social Stories to Rehearse
New Situations
Carol Gray, noted expert on social
stories, provides the following
guidelines* for writing your own
social stories:
Picture the goal
Gather information
Tailor the text
Teach with the title
* Additional Resources
www.thegraycenter.org/
socialstories.cfm
www.polyxo.com/
socialstories/introduction.
html#needforintervention
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