FAQautism

For a variety of reasons, several of my friends with autism display explosive behaviors when riding in a car. Although hurtful outbursts can usually be controlled over time, we must take immediate steps to insure the safety of everyone in the car. Take a look at these three strategies for responding to aggressive actions while the car is in motion.

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OUT OF REACH. For their own safety, individuals who tend to escape from their seatbelt when the car is moving need to have child-proof seatbelts. And they need to be seated in a place that prevents their grabbing, pulling hair, or hurting the driver or other passengers. Even if the explosive youngster with autism is too small to reach the driver, they should ride in the back seat on the opposite side of the driver at all times. Many families or school bus drivers have been caught off guard when an aggressive youngster is suddenly able to grab the driver by the hair or neck simply because their arms have grown long enough to do so.

NAVIGATOR. Approach a youngster’s sitting in the back seat opposite the driver as a privilege, not a punishment. Just open the door to that seat, saying something cheery like, “Here you go, Sammy. Sit in this seat so you can be the navigator.”

TUNE OUT EXPLOSIONS. The driver should tune out loud and explosive behaviors when driving, even when driving alone with the child. Several of my parents have been involved in minor wrecks because they were looking in the rear view mirror for just a split second. Fortunately, all were fender benders, but one dad barely missed a bicyclist because of momentary inattention and another ran a stop sign, only avoiding serious injury by the grace of God. A driver simply MUST keep full attention on the road while the car is in motion. If these means listening to screaming, crying, shouting – so be it. If an explosive outburst requires adult attention, the driver must pull the car over and come to a full stop before turning their attention away from the road.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Safety simply must be the top priority when driving a car or school bus, even if a youngster with autism displays explosive behavior.

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

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