I was sad to read this morning of the death of Dr. Stanley Greenspan, author of the book that started me on the path to understanding and helping my son, The Child With Special Needs. That book and The Challenging Child gave me permission to see my son as someone to love and play with and appreciate instead of just fix.
I remember so well the passage that first had an impact on my parenting and advocacy. My son was perseverating on keys, and his preschool teacher told me I had to take the keys away, that the keys were "death" to him. I was reading The Child With Special Needs at about that time, and came upon a section on perseveration that contained these lightbulb-switching-on words:
"Look at perseveration as an opportunity -- a gift from your child that tells you where her natural interest lies. You can then use that interest as a basis for interaction."
Greenspan went on to describe ways to make these comforting and isolating behaviors into something more interactive, and indeed that's what I was able to do with the keys -- his curiosity about them is ultimately what led him to want to speak and engage with other people. It was great to show that teacher that it wasn't just me saying so, it was Dr. Stanley Greenspan. Over the years, I found that special-education teachers and therapists could be counted on to take the doctor's word.
If you haven't read any of Greenspan's books, I strongly recommend The Child With Special Needs and The Challenging Child (my copy of which is bristling with stick-on bookmarks marking all the aha! spots). If you are familiar with the doctor's work, take a moment to share how he changed your life on the site of his Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, and consider making a donation to a scholarship fund in his name.
What books of Dr. Greenspan's were particularly memorable to you? Have you tried his Floortime method with your child and found it helpful? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
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