Tag: Child Assessment

LEGO® Therapy is an evidence-based training aimed to support children with social-behavioral needs. Dr. Cecilia Lam is a licensed LEGO® therapy practitioner. She is specialized in helping children with social communication challenges to develop social competence through LEGO® play.

LEGO®-based therapy is a social development programme for young people with autism spectrum disorders or related social communication difficulties. It was originally developed by Dr. Dan LeGoff, a Paediatric Neuropsychologist in the USA. He noticed that otherwise uncommunicative children came together and started to talk when LEGO® bricks were around.

Young people work together to build LEGO® models and through this have the opportunity to develop social skills such as turn taking, collaboration and social communication.

LEGO®-based therapy can be used individually or in groups. Natural opportunities for developing social competence are facilitated by the therapist.

Key to this approach is how engaging and enjoyable it is for the participants! Building LEGO® collaboratively is great fun, and young people develop social skills while enjoying themselves.

Skills training in the Brick Wizard Club includes:

Social communication skills, impulse control, staying focus, emotion regulation, social cooperation and problem-solving skills

A large body of research on brain development and how young children learn clearly identifies the importance of learning in the context of relationships. In addition, the social and emotional development of young children and the nature of their relationships and attachments are critical to their development.

Learning readiness refers to the developing capacity of children to self-regulate; develop close, secure personal relationships with adults and peers; demonstrate curiosity in, pay attention to and explore people and objects in the environment; demonstrate a sense of self-confidence as well as effective communicating skills.

Skills training in the Bumble Bee Social Group includes:

1.  Develop and engage in positive relationships and interactions with adults

2. Begin to learn and internalize rules, routines and directions (i.e. following instruction sitting for tale task, paying attention in class)

3. Begin to develop personal relationships with peers (i.e. taking turns, sharing and cooperating with peers)

4. Demonstrate interest, curiosity, and eagerness in learning and discovery

5. Begin to develop and demonstrate control over some of their feelings and regulating self-behaviours (i.e. understanding basic emotions, acquiring problem-solving skills)

Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics Centre offers The Incredible Years® Child Program Dinosaur School Preschool-Grade 3, an evidence-based proven, child training program for strengthening children’s social skills, emotional self-regulation such as understanding and communicating feelings, using effective problem solving strategies, managing anger, practicing friendship and conversational skills, and behaving appropriately in the classroom.

The programme aims to treat children with conduct problems, ADHD, and internalizing problems in small interactive classes to coach children’s social skills, emotional regulation and problem solving critical for school success in 18 sessions. Incredible Years® has been extensively researched and the benefits are consistently shown with families of different cultures. Many papers on the programme has been published and is considered the “model program” in U.S.

Standardised structure developed over 30 years ago, used in over 20 countries worldwide, with strict training and monitoring of instructors. The program is run by Dr. Maureen Kong, an Incredible Years Group Leader and Registered Clinical Psychologist and a Psychology major teacher.

Skills training in the Incredible Years® Child Program:

Improvement in their child’s attention, behaviours, emotion regulation and social competence. Teachers reported a reduction of externalising behaviours and improvements in social competence during peer interactions.

Hong Kong Developmental Paediatrics Centre offers The Incredible Years® Child Program Dinosaur School Preschool-Grade 3, an evidence-based proven, child training program for strengthening children’s social skills, emotional self-regulation such as understanding and communicating feelings, using effective problem solving strategies, managing anger, practicing friendship and conversational skills, and behaving appropriately in the classroom.

The programme aims to treat children with conduct problems, ADHD, and internalizing problems in small interactive classes to coach children’s social skills, emotional regulation and problem solving critical for school success in 18 sessions. Incredible Years® has been extensively researched and the benefits are consistently shown with families of different cultures. Many papers on the programme has been published and is considered the “model program” in U.S.

Standardised structure developed over 30 years ago, used in over 20 countries worldwide, with strict training and monitoring of instructors. The program is run by Dr. Maureen Kong, an Incredible Years Group Leader and Registered Clinical Psychologist and a Psychology major teacher.

Skills training in the Incredible Years® Child Program:

Improvement in their child’s attention, behaviours, emotion regulation and social competence. Teachers reported a reduction of externalising behaviours and improvements in social competence during peer interactions.