Franklin

Franklin’s smile and laughter are a highlight of any Westhaven visit. This adorable kid loves to hold hands and go on walks around the grounds. He has a passion for bubbles that can be a bit obsessive, and it is best to keep a hold of the solution and hold the wand up for him to blow into. Despite his initial protestations that he wants to hold it all himself, he can actually blow more bubbles and has more fun if he has this activity facilitated because of his hand tremors and tendency to accidentally spill out the bubble solution. Franklin also has a passion for collecting items and putting them in things. When he gets attached to an object it is very hard to get it back from him, so unless you want him to have it is best not to hand it to him. His curiosity usually gets the best of him and whatever he is given he tends to disassemble or break apart, so it is best to give Franklin items that are durable or not valuable. Franklin does not speak and seems to have some limits on his understanding of complex words, situations and meaning. Thus, he can be prone to frustration and tantrums if he doesn’t understand, can’t communicate, or does not get what he wants. The tantrums pass pretty quickly. Sometimes he can be redirected or soothed but sometimes it is best to be calm, give him a moment of alone time and let it run its course. Franklin can get overstimulated easily by a lot of activity and noise, and when agitated he’ll wander and withdraw. Standing behind him and putting light pressure on his shoulders or sitting with your arm around him anchors and calms him. Franklin loves art activities but needs to have it facilitated 1:1. He calms best and focuses longer if he can sit in your lap or on the floor between your legs and have help with the activity. Because of his hand tremors and motor skill difficulty, free form art is more suitable for Franklin than precision based art or crafts that require manual dexterity. Franklin loves music, puppets, and stuffed animals.