My ASD Child

Question I work with a young boy with ASD, and we (the parents and I) are looking for ways to help the child with repetitive (perseverative) thoughts, i.e., he wants to know what his snack is for school. He will ask his mom, his mom will tell him, then he will ask again while getting dressed, then ask again while getting on the bus, then he screams from the bus window, "what’s for snack today?", then the school nurse will call and say he needs to talk to Mom or Dad because he needs to ask again. Answer You’re referring to obsessive thoughts. Rituals and obsessions are one of the hallmarks of ASD [High-Functioning Autism]. In order to cope with the anxieties and stresses about the chaotic world around them, kids often obsess and ritualize their behaviors to comfort themselves.    While some kids may spend their time intensely studying one area, others may be compulsive about cleaning, lining up items, or even doing things which put them or others in danger.   ==&

Question I'm looking for some ways to diffuse a meltdown, and what I should do after its over …my daughter screams, cries, swears at me …tells me she hates me and I’m the worst mum. I am getting better at not getting angry back, but it seems to enrage her more when I don't react... It leaves me mental drained... I feel the more this happens the more I don't feel the mother daughter connection (it sounds so awful). I love her, but I just want my little girl back. Answer The visible symptoms of meltdowns are as varied as the high-functioning autistic kids themselves, but every parent is able to describe their youngster’s meltdowns behavior in intricate detail. Meltdowns can be short lived, or last as long as two hours. They can be as infrequent as once a month (often coinciding with the lunar cycle/full moon) or occur as frequently as 4-6 times a day. Whatever the frequency and duration, an autistic youngster having meltdowns is difficult for parents/c