Helping children learn to manage difficult emotions such as anger can be a challenge for all parents and particularly for those whose children fall within the Autism Spectrum.
Children with an ASD can be prone to regular outbursts of rage and parents rarely get the luxury of a “window” of escalation in which to intervene.
The Red Beast provides a story which can assist a child to understand what happens when their Red Beast is awakened and how to manage it. It talks about the Red Beast in a way that helps normalise the process as well as externalising the anger onto the Red Beast.
Externalising can be very helpful to engage a child in trying to manage their anger as they are controlling “The Red Beast” rather than themselves. This also can assist in building self-esteem as the child experiences mastery around being in control. The book provides some helpful strategies to help “tame” the Red Beast, such as those identified in Occupational Therapy (OT) as well as imaginative and relaxation strategies.
Who could read this book?
This book is aimed at younger primary school aged children however could also be useful for pre-schoolers. The story can also relate to any child who is having trouble managing anger.
How can the book be used?
The story is engaging and provides many opportunities for children and families to share their own experiences with the Red Beast.
This is the main therapeutic purpose of the book, providing a springboard into the reader’s own story and opening many possibilities for understanding and intervention.
Author Bio:
K. I. Al-Ghani is a specialist Advisory teacher. Inclusion Consultant and Autism Trainer, with over 35 years’ experience in education. She is currently a specialist teacher for inclusion support and is involved with training professionals, students and parents in aspects of ASD. As an international author and mother of a son with ASD, she has spent the last 25 years researching the enigma that is autism.
Also available from K. I. Al-Ghani
- Panicosaurus: Managing Anxiety in Children Including Those with Asperger Syndrome
- Learning About Friendship: Stories to Support Social Skills Training with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism
- Disappointment Dragon: Learning to Cope With Disappointment (For All Children and Dragon Tamers, Including Those with Asperger Syndrome)
