Hi Jason, I might have a few suggestions you can use.  First, stop
anticipating her needs. One of the hardest things to do in a busy schedule
but, remember you want her to be able to communicate with others and have a
life.  Make her use her signs or whatever she uses to communicate.  Talk to
her.  Ask her "I can tell you want something what is it?"
Also, during routines daily stuff, sing to her, let her know what you are
going to do.  A lot of children have trouble with transitions.  I sing all
the time to the little ones in the clinic.  Best audience and they don't
mind an off key voice.  We do everything from "It's Time to put Your Shoes
On." to "Lollipop, Lollipop.."  I should be on Seseame Street.  I use
everything from simple Rap, sing-song, rock, country, what ever seems to
work.  Before feeding her, give her a spoon or other toy to play with while
you fix her breakfast.  Get her involved as much as possible.  Also, when
she whines, let her know that you understand she is hungry but, she has to
wait.  Delay giving her food until she makes a sign or gesture to eat.
Make a game of it.  Swoop her up, have her fly to breakfast.
Try to get her to sing with you.
Also, have you had an OT check her sensory processing?
Hope this gives you a few things to help out.


Beth the OT

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jason Kruse
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 9:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Need suggestions on managing Fussiness


My daughter Lauren, who will be 3 in June and has mild left CP with
language/communication delay, is what I would call very fussy or at least
when
she is fussy it is extremely annoying to my wife and I. I don't know how to
describe it but she speaks in the language of fuss.  It is basically a
wining
that she does. When we get dressed in the morning she wines and squirms, she
wines until food is right in front of her face, she wines when we go out to
eat,
if she does seem to get something she want right then and now she wines.
Its
the sound that bugs me and and since she is not communicatin well she uses
this
wine as for of communication.  What she can communicate is I want some, up,
yumm
yumm and we respond accordingly but the fussy/wine is not getting better.  I
have recently resulted in YELLING NO or STOP and then following that with an
explanation of how she shouldn't wine and that it really bothers us and that
she
should tell us what she wants (even though she may not be able:-) If that
doesnt
work I will tap her under her chin (not hard but enough to get her
attention). I
honestly do try to explain that yelling is not right and even apologize for
yelling my self but Im not getting real good responses either way (better
with
the more agressive approach) but I obviously fear the reprocussions of
that....Any similar experiences or advice. We feel that we have tried to
anticipate her needs but I just feel that it is behavior that she is
adopting..HELP please

Jason Kruse