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Five Ways to Keep Your Special Needs Child Safe from Bullying

  • Uncategorized
  • December 9, 2024
All children can be impacted by bullying, but children with special needs are typically more severely and permanently affected. Bullying can lead to behavioral problems, low self-esteem, and lasting insecurities if it is not appropriately addressed. The issue is that although special needs children are more likely to be the targets of abuse, they frequently lack the communication skills necessary to inform their parents and caregivers of this abuse.

What is bullying?

Bullying doesn’t always have to be physical; it can take many forms. It might involve anything from circulating rumours about a youngster and social exclusion to name-calling and teasing. Additionally, bullying might include physical violence such pushing, tugging, striking, or kicking.

Why is bullying more common among kids with special needs?

According to certain research, children with special needs are almost five times more likely than their classmates to experience bullying. Why is this the case?

  • They have a distinct communication style: they could use provocative or humorous gestures or say inappropriate things.

  • Their communication style is distinct: They struggle with social cues and nonverbal communication, which can lead to strange social interactions and frequently indicates that they are unaware they are being bullied. They may also say inappropriate things and/or make motions that others find insulting or funny.

  • They are loners by nature, which not only makes them noticeable but also makes them easy targets. Other kids frequently band together against them, and they are much more likely to be excluded.

What warning indicators point to bullying of your child?

A sudden shift in conduct is one of the most important things to watch out for. This can involve more meltdowns than normal, difficulty sleeping, and a discernible rise in worry. At-home bullying of siblings by a special child is also not unusual. These kids frequently lack the awareness that bullying is unacceptable and will imitate the bad behavior of their peers.
Other indicators to watch out for include:

  • Physical injury indicators: Your child may have typical scratches or bruises when they return home. Additionally, you might see that their clothes are filthy and that some things, like shoes or a bag, are missing.

  • If your child exhibits sudden reluctance to attend school and starts making up excuses to skip class without a valid reason, this is known as sudden reluctance.

  • A shift in your child’s behavior: Your child may appear depressed and notably unhappy, as well as more withdrawn than normal. Additionally, compulsive behavior could rise.

  • Loss of interest: You could observe that your youngster is no longer as interested in the pastimes and activities they formerly enjoyed. Your child’s academic performance and general outlook on life may also show this shift in attitude.

What can you do to keep your kids safe from bullies?

It’s critical to take action as soon as you become aware if your child is being bullied. We’ve included some practical advice to assist you and your child deal with this difficult behavior

Speak to your youngster.

Teaching your youngster to distinguish between nice and abusive relationships is an excellent place to start. It is possible to teach kids with special needs to recognize bullying as behavior that causes them bodily or emotional harm. Even while this method can work, it might take some time for your child to truly grasp the distinction. Additionally, even once they have recognized the harmful behavior, your child may find it difficult to confront a bully. Some kids might find it difficult to talk about bullying in words. In this situation, you might want to encourage your youngster to illustrate their thoughts and emotions. They might even be able to illustrate how they were bullied in a drawing. In addition to being extremely therapeutic and cathartic for a child, this can also help you comprehend the abuse better.

Consult your child's educators.

It’s critical to inform your child’s school as soon as you discover that your child is being bullied. Teachers might be able to mediate the situation and offer helpful advice on how to keep your child safe. To find out what more can be done, make sure to investigate if the school has an anti-bullying

Although your child’s school can offer assistance and support, remember that you cannot depend only on them to keep your child safe. Since bullying frequently occurs away from teachers’ prying eyes, they might not be aware of it.

Instruct your child on how to react.

You may teach your child some techniques to help them cope with bullies more skilfully, even though they might not be able to defend themselves. You could train your youngster to leave and go to a teacher’s office, for instance. Another way is to urge your youngster to draw or write about any uncomfortable situations. You should write a social tale or action plan in your child’s school diary, regardless of how you decide to teach them to deal with this harmful behavior.

Make plans for the unplanned portions of the day.

Due to the lack of structure and teacher supervision, recess and breaks can be very distressing for kids with special needs. A special youngster is therefore at risk of bullying. Making sure your child has a carefully considered plan for unstructured play is one approach to prevent this. One option would be to schedule your child’s lunchtime visit to the school library. If the school is sympathetic, they might even agree to plan structured play activities during recess.

Set up a playgroup.

For a special child, a playgroup is a great way to meet new people. As many kids from your child’s school as you can should be included. Additionally, you can see if your child’s school already has playgroups for kids who have trouble making new friends. In addition to helping your child cope with bullying, this will help them develop important social skills that will aid them in the future.
Bullying is a concern for all parents. Although there are no assurances that your special kid won’t experience bullying, you may take preventative measures by making sure your child has the resources they need to handle this harmful conduct.
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