FAQautism

This is the second in a series of discussions about restrictive behaviors and extraordinary inflexibility, issues that often cause problems in lives of individuals with autism and the people around them..

Listen Now:

Standard Podcast [ 4:36 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In part 1 of this discussion, we looked at some real-life examples of inflexible behavior – situations I encountered just this week with some of my friends diagnosed with autism. Let’s look at a few more examples.

+ One of my music therapy students who is quite inflexible about change starts screaming and hitting her legs if she notices I have rearranged anything on top of my piano.

+ Another student is very intent on following the same schedule every week. Because the young man feels compelled to play the same songs in the same order every week, he drops to the floor when I introduce a new activity or song. He also drops to the floor and rocks vigorously while screaming if his mom and I take a minute to visit at the beginning or end of his music therapy time.

When forced to change, an exceptionally inflexible person might throw items, run away, withdraw, yell, bite, scratch, or start a sit-down strike. The behaviors are similar to those associated with a temper tantrum. From the outside, it can appear that a person with autism is just a spoiled brat trying to get their way. It looks as if families, teachers, therapists, or job coaches are spoiling a person by allowing him to refuse change. The public can also be rather judgmental when we give in to a person demands to sit in a certain chair or to wear a certain shirt. But, in reality, inflexibility is inherent in autism.

TIP FOR THE DAY: In future podcasts we will discuss strategies for gradually helping a person learn to be more willing to compromise. In the meantime, we need to realize we cannot force our friends with autism to cooperate by fussing at them or by simply insisting they follow directions. It is no more possible to force an inflexible individual with autism to be tolerant than it is to force a hearing-impaired person to hear.

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 a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. 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. Inflexibility Part 1 Inflexibility is a common characteristic in autism. What types of...
2. Cures for Inflexibility Except in rare circumstances, our best efforts will not cure...
3. Picky Eaters Part 1 Picky eaters abound in the world of autism. Some people...
4. Deal Breakers Part 2 We are continuing the conversation about deal breakers in autism...
5. Matter of Degree One of the primary characteristics in autism is that of...