“Our son seems to always do the opposite of what we ask him to do,” said parents of an 11-year-old diagnosed with autism. “This is becoming quite a problem at home and at school. Last week, both of us told him very clearly not to go out the door, and out he went, right into [...]
“Our son is just now starting to talk,” wrote parents of a pre-teen diagnosed with autism. “He has echoed words and phrases for years, but now he seems to be trying to talk to us. What can we do to encourage that?” Listen Now:
“My students with autism don’t seem to mirror what others are doing,” commented a teacher. “I wonder why it is that individuals with autism often do not notice what is happening around them and follow those social cues? Listen Now:
For a variety of reasons, some individuals with autism must wear diapers, even as adults. Many challenges accompany the need for diapers. It is often difficult to locate family bathrooms that allow us to assist people of different genders. It is not always convenient to carry the necessary supplies for changing diapers. Other logistical issues [...]
An experienced first-grade teacher commented on difficulties encountered by some children with autism in the classroom setting. “Because young students with autism interpret instructions so literally,” said the teacher, “they sometimes struggle with instructions and common classroom routines.” In addition to challenges related to communication, children with autism may not have good mirroring skills, so [...]
A staff member of a camp for youngsters with autism shares a story that illustrates the communication mix-ups that arise when individuals interpret language literally. Many of our friends with autism view the world in exact, non-symbolic terms, making it difficult to decode figurative or metaphorical language. The camping group played a game called “Has [...]
“I’m a bit concerned about my son entering a new school in a new town,” commented parents of a middle-school youngster with autism. “Although he stands back a bit, he seems to get along with other kids, and he will probably manage to muddle through his main-streamed and supported classes ok, but he doesn’t usually [...]
One of my long-time friends with autism stands right in front of people and talks non-stop about one topic or repeatedly asks personal questions, barely pausing for a reply. Her annoying behavior discourages people from wanting to spend time with her. And time with people is the very thing she craves. So, we’ve introduced the [...]
“For several years, my son’s IEP has reflected the goals of his learning his alphabet and learning to count to 100,” commented a parent of a pre-teen diagnosed with autism. “He is beginning to pay more attention to academic concepts, so I don’t mind the continued effort in these areas. But it seems to me [...]
“My son has finally moved past the stage of echoing everything he hears,” commented a dad, “But now we are finding he has trouble answering questions. For example, if I ask if he wants a hamburger or a hot dog from the outdoor grill, he says, ‘Yes’ instead of telling me his choice.” Communication is [...]
“I can’t believe my son loudly blurted out a graphic description of a temporary pain using anatomically correct words while we were standing in line at the grocery store,” said a parent of a young adult with autism. “It seemed like everyone in the store froze and looked at him in horror. Because he looks [...]
Helping a person drop a bad habit and replace it with a more appropriate behavior is challenging at best, and autism can double the trouble since individuals with autism tend to resist change. One component of an effective strategy is to help the person become more aware of their bad habit. This is a poem [...]
When individuals with autism describe the challenges they encounter and when they take time to express their frustration about reactions of other people, we get inside snapshots that help us gain perspective on this complex maze called autism. Listen Now:
“My son is 10 years old and still says ‘Go pee-pee?’ when he needs to go to the bathroom. This has caused some issues with other students at school and with kids on his baseball team. We’ve talked to him about it, but he still blurts out without thinking. He doesn’t seem to be doing [...]
Casual conversation can be awkward with a person who is non-verbal. The grandfather of a youngster with autism said, “I sure like taking my grandson out for drives, but I don’t really know how to talk to him.” A teenager said of his sister, “All she does is repeat what I say, so it is [...]
Because of cognitive challenges, some individuals diagnosed with autism are not able to read, write, or even talk.. Other people with autism seem self-absorbed and do not seem to be interested in learning. In these cases, it is easy to assume that a person cannot or will not understand science or history or music. When [...]
Several teachers were discussing the challenge of trying to communicate with individuals with autism, especially those who are non-verbal. What is a person trying to communicate when they suddenly start screaming, hitting, or biting? What are they saying when they suddenly drop to the floor or scratch their arm or cry uncontrollably? One teacher said, [...]
When a person diagnosed with autism is having a problem at home, school, or work or in the grocery store, park, or car, it can often be very challenging to discover the source of the problem. Many times, teachers, job coaches, therapists, family members, and friends must be “super-sleuths” in order to patiently explore all [...]
I was talking to a parent and an after-school teacher earlier this year about a young lady with autism who functions academically on grade-level with her peers, but struggles with social and behavior issues. Her mom said, “I feel like we are in a constant battle of the wills.” Her after-school teacher commented that she [...]
The father of a young adult with autism who has been involved in music therapy for almost 20 years was telling me a story that illustrated the need for concrete, specific communication, especially with individuals with autism. Dad said, “I really lost my temper last weekend when I asked my son to put his clothes [...]
