Published on 12, July, 2020
I would just like to thank everyone who has read and commented on our last posts. I have only one more question. SIB... Some of our students engage in SIB from time to time and in times of distress and overwhelm.
We have figured what's causing it for most, needs not getting met, over stimulated, under stimulated, bored and communication. For most of the students we know what can help and do our best. But, for Riley, I know it seems pike we are picking her but we are just baffled and confused, we don't know what to do.
Today, she has gone home with bite marks on her hands. She didn't come to school with them, so it happened at school. She was very overwhelmed today and was close to exploding but she kept it in and under control. Staff had an eye on her at all times, but somehow she manged to bite herself. We aren't sure when yet but we will do our best to figure things out and what triggered it.
SIB is very common for Riley, more than the other students, so our responses change. She will headbang, bite, pull her hair nearly ripping it out, punch things and herself, and eat inedible objects. We will say stop or redirect her, if she's headbanging, we will use our hand to block or a cushion or mat. If she's biting, we will get her chew and hold her hands to block this, if she doesn't manage to bite, we have no choice but the pinch her nose so she stops, but that's last case scenario which we've only had to do once. We do everything to keep her safe, but the more people there is or if we try stopping her, the worse the SIB and she gets even more agitated so it's difficult. What else could we do to help, new tactics and support to put in place.
We al know that so many things could be responsible if the key is centred around triggering. Knowing that several suggestions are likely to come forth, i might draw attention to the growing phenomenon of students being triggered by events taking place on social media. It could be in the morning, it could be the night before. It does happen, you can all have a bad day due to this source of unrest. I'm not sure what the answer is given that by implication, this is an area private to them unless they'd share. Maybe there is a calling for some kind of mechanism specifically so they can ease any burden caused via SM confidentially.
Most of the students don't have social media but the ones that do, will tell us about an issue, and there is an adult they trust who they will tell. If not there is a school counsellor who comes in who they can talk to.
I know some triggers are because of something happening outside of school, I know that's the case with a lot of the students, they've had a bad night or morning and come to school tired or upset.
Rileys SIB is more severe than the other students, I understand for all of them its severe and needs to be taken seriously which it is, but Riley will do anything to cause harm to herself. For example, months ago, she was constantly headbanging and biting, we had to hold her for 30 minutes or more until we have a safe room to let go. We had a pillow to block her headbanging the wall but she did everything to get rid of the pillow, she would move to another spot, drop to the floor to use the floor, head bang the staff next to her.
She really tries to inflict pain to herself when distressed, but other students will aswell but if we block them, they will use the cushion to headbang so it's easier to deal with.