FAQautism

Reading aloud and sitting side by side while looking through magazines are great ways for people to connect with others. But some individuals with autism, both children and adults, tend to grab and tear the pages of books and magazines. Short of removing all books and magazines from a person’s life, how can we prevent the ripping and tearing?

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcast [5:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Family members and teachers often mention their reluctance to share books with individuals with autism who grab and rip books. This destructive habit not only destroys books, but also makes it difficult to sit closely to a person while reading aloud. The only foolproof method of preventing book tearing is to make all books and magazines inaccessible. But books and magazines really enrich lives by expanding interests and by encouraging interaction with other people. So, in the long term, it is worth the effort to develop some strategies that help your friend learn to take care of books and magazines. Although the specific strategies will be different for every person, the plan of action will require both protecting the books and teaching your friend to stop ripping pages.
1. Plastic Sheet. Lay a clear plastic sheet – like those in 8×10 picture frames – over a book or magazine while reading.
2. Board Books. Books with heavy cardboard pages are nearly impossible to tear, and the selection of board books is growing by leaps and bounds. You can find sturdy books on many topics, many of which target young children, but some of which are of interest to people of all ages.
3. Sheet Protectors. I like to use light-weight plastic sheet protectors to protect magazines and to make interesting reading material readily available. So many top-quality magazines with colorful photographs and graphics are available on every topic ranging from automobiles to zoo animals. After finding a magazine that matches your friend’s interests, carefully take the magazine apart, and put individual pages in the sheet protectors in the original order. Put the pages in a binder and watch your friend enjoy thumbing through the pages.
4. Hands Down. Some individuals with autism simply need a quiet verbal reminder or visual prompt to keep their hands down while reading. As we finish each page, I like to let my friends turn the page, sometimes with hand-over-hand assistance to prevent rips – accidental or purposeful. Individuals who have a great deal of difficulty with impulse control might hold a favorite object to keep their hands occupied during reading time.
5. Custom Reading Material. I’ve made lots of custom books for individuals who tend to rip traditional books. Just collect stories, pictures, and songs related to a specific topic and put them in sheet protectors in a notebook. For example, a “Dog Book” might include a photograph of a person’s pet dog, pictures of other dogs, typed selections from books like Old Yeller and Call of the Wild, and copies of songs like Bingo and Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Dog. Shel Silverstein poems and illustrations about dogs are also popular.

We welcome your ideas about protecting books and magazines from our friends with autism who tend to grab and rip pages. Just click on the comments button or send a message to talk@FAQautism.om.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Automatically generated related posts:

1. Durable Magazines Some individuals with autism are unable to enjoy magazines because...
2. Tearing Books Some of my friends with autism enjoy looking at books...
3. Wish List part 1 Families often struggle with finding appropriate gifts for individuals with...
4. Wish List “Our daughter’s grandparents ask us for Christmas gift ideas every...
5. Safe Haven Some parents asked for strategies to help decrease the need...