new-advice appreciated

[kez_uk]

hi all im new here, im kinda feeling like this right now ,my son is autistic and is having problems at school,he is being extremely violent at school this now has been going on some time,at home he is ok i have the normal problems of an autistic child which i cope with very well he is 9yrs old,but as soon as he goes to school he is horrid!has anyone else had this and if so what did you do or any advice...ive done all the sticker charts ect rewards system the school have been very supportive,but im very upset i dont like the thought of my son hurting others. any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated thanks for listening kez

[Guest Jeannie]

Kez-Uk- Has it always been this way that he's worse at school, or just this year? Sometimes there is something at school that bothers him, like chemicals affecting the brain. This may sound strange, but it is possible. Can you tell us something about his school? Where do you live? Jeannie.

[Guest illthinkofitsoon]

Its quite common for children (and adults) with autism to be sensitive to touch, light and sound. Is there a train there that passes by every now and then or do the children there touch him when he dosent want to so they can get a rise out of him? 9yr olds tend to be a little mistivous. Ask his teacher or aid as to what triggers it. He may just dosent like it there.

[cpace]

We've been dealing with this as well. At home, my son is used to the environment and everything is structured/set up in a way that he's comfortable with; however, at school, things can get crazy, which can lead to meltdowns when a child is overwhelmed by all the stimulation. After having to pick him up early from school several times in a two-week period, I had a conference with the teacher to get to the root of the problem. Turns out that because it was the last month of school and testing was complete, there was no routine. He NEEDS routine -- or at least he needs to know what to expect!

 

Anyway, we made picture schedule with velcro-attached activities, allowing the schedule to be customized everyday. There are also fun choice/break/help cards attached in his "work" folder (we use this for classwork and homework -- it basically lists tasks in order and has all independent work paper-clipped inside), so his rewards are also visual and he feels more in control. Also, to cut down on distractions, my son has earplugs, sunglasses, a quiet space, etc. available for when he needs them. We're also trying to get lamp lighting in his classroom, which I have found while teaching Sunday school helps keep things calmer (besides, flourescent lights are irritating in a number of ways).

 

Hope this helps, and if anyone else has any creative suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

[luvmylilrainman]

kez-UK

I feel what you're going through because my son was the same way. He is also 9 years of age and when he was much younger he would have severe melt-downs in school but never at home. I started looking into Sensory Integration Dysfunction and how autistic children's sensory perceptions are not wired correctly. For example my son is a hypersensitive autistc child. He is tactile-defensive(can't tolerate light touch because it feels like an extreme blow to hs body so he will become aggressive if someone touches him lightly). Not knowing this, anyone will call it a behavior issue when it really is a sensory issue. My son also needs vestibular and proprioceptive input constantly in order to navigate throughout the day. Meaning his Occupational therapist will have him swing on a swing, bounce on a therapy ball, jump on a trampoline, ride a bicycle and lots of other fun stuff. These activities all help autistic children with their sensory processing. He also has hypersensitive hearing in which he wears earphones specifically ordered to bring the noise level down and block out background noise.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction or Sensory Processing Disorder is very real.

When we see an autistic child having meltdowns, we all need to start looking at the SENSORY piece of the puzzle. An occupational therapist who is trained in sensory integration dysfunction should be able to evaluate the child and help the child with sensory integration therapy.

Autistic children that have sensory integration dysfunction usually are very happy and comfortable at home because they fell "safe". Home is a safe place for them, it's not a painful place or an overloaded place.

School on the other hand is not a safe place. It's painful with all the flourescent lights, the different smells of perfumes, cleaning solutions, art materials, cafeteria foods, etc, the many piercing noises, the fire-drill bells, all the jumble talking all at once, the clothes they are wearing, the touching and of course as previously spoken...the change of routines.

No wonder they have meltdowns...I would too!!!!

Please look into your son's sensory needs (likes and dislikes).

I'm sure there is something going on there that only through a sensory lens will his school understand and be able to help him.

I hope I have been of help as the others who responded have been also.

If you need to talk or need help in anything let us know....I will be more than happy to help....

God Bless you and you're precious son......

luvmylilrainman