FAQautism

For a variety of reasons, some of our friends with autism just plop down on the floor and will not budge. Sitting on the floor in the middle of the kitchen or the classroom is annoying and frustrating. Plopping down in the middle of a parking lot or street is dangerous. What choices do we have when a strong-willed individuals stages a sudden sit-in?

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The complexity of this issue requires us to look at two sides of the coin. First, we need to look at the catalysts for “plopping” behavior. Is the sitter just tired or trying to communicate something or looking for attention or being mischievous? Secondly, we need to look at our responses. Are we inadvertently encouraging the sitter? Are we setting the stage for our friend to plop down? Are we giving our friends with autism time and attention or are we just rushing through the day? These are just a few of the issues involved in this potentially dangerous habit.

Today we will just look at possible responses to “plopping behavior,” just one facet of the issue. Once a person has plopped down in a parking lot, we must, of course, take swift action to get him up and out of harm’s way. The following strategies have worked in parking lots for various families, teachers, and other caregivers of strong and strong-willed individuals with autism.

1. Some individuals will respond to our extended hand and a specific command to “stand and walk,” especially if we wait quietly and patiently with an expectant look on our faces.
2. For some individuals, all we have to do is to ignore the plop and keep walking to the car. Of course, this only works if we are absolutely certain none of the other cars will move while we wait for our friend to make a move.
3. Other individuals respond to a bribe such as a snack or favorite magazine, but a bribe can actually increase a behavior in the long run since our friend learns that plopping results in the offer of a bribe
4. Some folks respond to a “threat” to take away their favorite video or privilege, but others do not comprehend or respond to delayed gratification.
5. Sometimes the only alternative is to stand calmly beside our friend and wait them out. Just stand beside them and flag down cars to avoid being run over. Eventually hunger, thirst, or discomfort will cause stubbornness to dissipate. At that point, it is usually best to avoid lectures and just quietly move to the car. The goal, after all, is to get the person into a car, not to trigger another plopping incident.

TIP FOR THE DAY: If sitting on the ground and refusing to budge becomes a habit, take a hard look at the catalyst for the behavior and develop a systematic plan for decreasing this potentially dangerous plopping.

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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