How to Support an Individual with Specific Communicational Needs

The Role of Communication in People’s Lives

Under the notion of communication, we understand the interchange of info between individuals. It helps to build relationships, interact with other people, establish close relations, make decisions, etc. In today’s life, it serves as a bridge between cultures as well, enabling people from various parts of the world to get on well with each other. Usually, people communicate using gesture and means of language. However, there cases, when people due to some physical specificities are unable to interchange thoughts in a usual manner. We call those people “individuals with specific communicational needs.”

Specific communicational needs may be different. It does not mean that people are unable to communicate at all. The thing is that they are unable to talk in a usual manner. They can communicate with gestures, eyes, touches, emotions, etc. Apart from that, people can have troubles with a perception of info and language in general. Other people need to use to their needs and tolerate them. People need to be able to maximally take of an individual with specific communicational needs. It is important to encourage communication and motivate those people having special needs.

The Norms of Behavior of Caring Specialists

Each person having special communication need has a supportive person. This person is called a caring specialist. The task of these specialists is promoting the optimal environment for those needing special care. It is of the utmost importance to provide support. Those people need to feel comfortable in any environment and social surrounding. The caring specialists serve as a modulator of the person needing care and external world. The responsibility along on their shoulders is immense.

Caring experts have to be highly qualified and experienced. The field of activity they are working in demand responsibility and absolute dedication. Their main task is to secure appropriate condition for special people. Experts have to motivate and encourage them. Their task is to inspire these people as well. Moreover, they have to be adaptive enough to be able to get used to the particular situation. The primary task is make everything so that the individual with communicational needs will be able to perceive and transfer the info. Creating maximally appropriate environment is necessary.

As is often the case, there are no two similar people, having specific communicational needs. All these special members of society need to be individually approached. It is important to show those people that exists a special way of info interchange for them allowing to become independent members of society.  The task of specialists is to help a person chose an optimal way of communication allowing being independent in term of info interchange in any situation.

Circumstances That May Hinder Communication

There many factors in the social environment that may interrupt the communicational process. In most cases, these factors are external. To those may belong bad light, loud noise, and various technical supplies that may hinder hearing or watching. As is often the case, individuals with special needs may face difficulties.

The main task is to secure them optimal conditions allowing interchanging info. To allow people to communicate it is significant to secure a quiet and bright room. It should be rather isolated from external noise. For people with poor eye side, it is necessary to provide enough light. For people having troubles with hearing arise a necessity to provide a room having no TV or Radio noises, as it may distract them and annoy them as well. There are also people, who are impatient and have trouble with the nervous system. They need to be concentrated on communication, and nothing can distract them. That is why, it is important to [provide an environment, maximally isolated with no distracting factors.

People Who May Need Special Communication Approach

Exist a certain category of people who may need a special approach in a communication process. To this category belong people with physical problems, individuals with poor hearing or bad eye side. There those who have difficulties with a nervous system and those, who are mentally ill. All these people need special approach, and those communicating with them should follow a particular piece of advice.

While communicating with people having problems with eye side just come and offer help. Gently guide a person in the needed direction, describe where you are, and warn about the obstacles or potential hazards: stairs, puddles, pits, glass doors, etc. Offering to sit, put your arm on the back of the chair or armchair. Avoid gestures – do not forget that person does not see you. When walking, talk about everything you see, discuss experiences – smells, sounds. Warn if you need to quit for a while.

When communicating with people with hearing impairments needing to attract attention, wave; call a person by name, and gently touch person’s shoulder. Look directly into the eyes. Speak using short, simple sentences, clearly pronounce words, and do not scream. Take care that nothing distracts a person from seeing your facial expression, articulation, and gestures. This is especially important for those who can read on the lips. If you are asked to repeat, try to phrase. Do not hesitate to ask whether the person understands you. If a person uses a sign language, contact the interlocutor and not the signer.

When communicating with people with a delay in development, use a simple language; express your thoughts briefly, avoid complicated expressions. Be ready to repeat several times, or say the phrase in other words. Do not give up if you do not understand a person right away. Do not diminish the intellectual capabilities of such people.

People with mental disorders may have emotional problems or feel embarrassed that complicates communication, but usually, they do not require special treatment. In the vast majority of cases, these individuals are ordinary people, albeit with a special look at the world around them. Do not wait for the manifestation of aggression: if you are friendly, then they will feel calm. Try not to raise your voice even when you have all the grounds for it.

When communicating with people with lingual problems, do not ignore such a person, do not interrupt. Try not to correct them and do not try to guess what she or he wants to say. Just listen, be patient, give a person the opportunity to finish the thought and only then start to speak. Look in the eyes of your interlocutor. Do not try to speed up the conversation. If communication is challenging, ask if the person wants to communicate in another way (write, print).

General Tips That May Help You in Communication with Individuals with Specific Needs

People with specific individual needs may face some difficulties caused by an inappropriate condition for their communication. That is why it is important to make efforts to let them become confident members of society.

Primarily, people should be tolerant; meaning that no matter what is physical or mental conditions of the interlocutor. Ignoring people with specific communicational needs is improper. On the contrary, we must support them. There are many ways to help those special people. You need to be attentive and try not to ignore them. It will not take you much time; however, the contribution will be immense. Such special members of society need attention. Try to be open for those people.

Technological Supplies That May Assist in Communication

The technology is well developed nowadays and allows making the life of people with special communicational needs much more manageable. Social care departments take care so that such people feel comfortable. The blind or people with poor vision are supplied with all the necessary aids that may make their life easier.

Concerning people, with physical disabilities, they get the support of physiotherapist as well as regular training that positively influence their general health conditions. They receive all the necessary technological supplies that may help them to move and communicate with other members of society. People with hearing problems are supplied with acoustic aids enabling them to her the external world.

It is of the utmost importance to make sure that people using supportive equipment know how to use it. What is more, there is a necessity to examine whether all the supplies work correctly. Strong control is obligatory. Making sure that everything is correctly installed and appropriately used may help people with special communicational needs a lot.