Behavior Modifications for Autistic Children

Autistic children can be a handful, especially when you find yourself struggling to make up for their lack of control over their own behavior. You might run and grab a book on parenting only to find that many standard parenting techniques are useless on autistic children. But researchers have found many techniques to successfully modify misbehavior in autistic children -- techniques that every parent can use to create a more harmonious environment in the home.

  1. Stepwise Integration

    • Autistic children often behave in strange or inappropriate ways simply because they have not learned the correct way. For example, dressing is a simple task for most children, and most parents expect their children to be able to correctly dress themselves after a certain age. But for autistic children, even the simple act of dressing is not stress-free. To help your autistic child with a simple task such as dressing, break the task down while you do it for him. Then, gradually have your child perform the steps by himself, giving him an extra step each time. For example, the first part of stepwise integration of dressing is helping your child get dressed while you explain every action: choose the jacket, lay it on the bed, put one arm through the hole, put the other arm through the hole and button the jacket. The next step, performed the next morning, is to have your child choose the jacket, with you completing the remaining actions. The following day, have your child choose the jacket and lay it on the bed. Continue giving your child more actions until he is doing the entire process on his own.

    Set Clear Rules and Schedules

    • An autistic child is not beyond rules. In fact, according to the Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism Training, autistic children actually prefer rules and structure to their lives, a fact that parents can take advantage of to control inappropriate behaviors or situations. Professionals who take care of autistic children, whether it be a home-away-from-home or a school, make heavy use of rules and daily schedules. Parents should do the same in their homes. Let your child know what is expected of her and what the daily plan is. Consider providing a printed schedule or rule list to her, perhaps sticking it to the refrigerator. If she breaks a rule, remind her of the list of rules, pointing it out to her on the list. This is a useful method of turning an abstract limitation into a tangible, readable object, which is much easier for autistic children to appreciate.

    Relaxation Techniques

    • According to the Georgia Department of Education, much of the purposeful misbehavior seen in autistic children comes from stress. When you notice your child stressed out, take it as a warning sign. Counter the stress with a relaxation technique. Choose a technique that you know works on your child; all children differ. Use that technique to relax your child at the first sign of stress. Calming music, aromatherapy and dimming the lights are all possible strategies.

    Rewards

    • All children, autistic or not, benefit from positive reinforcement. In "How to Live with Autism and Asperger Syndrome,̶1; Clinical Child Psychologist Christine Williams states that while children without autism tend to benefit more from praise, autistic children tend to benefit more from rewards. You can use a reward to both encourage good behavior and change bad behavior. For example, if your autistic youngster has a habit of hitting the family dog, intervene before your child hits the dog, take hold of his hand and force him to pet the dog. Immediately after, give him a reward, such as allowing him to listen to his favorite song. In this way, you are training him to link petting the dog with a rewarding feeling. You are also changing the hitting habit into a petting habit.

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