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Transitions can be very challenging for children with autism. Any deviation from their routine can be disruptive and overwhelming for them, and their reactions tend to be more extreme. Listed below are some tips to help you transit your child with ASD to home-based learning and also to manage their problem behaviors at home.
Develop a Routine
Develop a Routine
For children with autism, changes in their routine can be hard and overwhelming for them. Using the guide from the page, Preparing your Child for Home-Based Learning, work together with your child to establish a routine for them.
For children with autism however, it may be better to build off existing routines rather than starting anew. For example, ensure that they will still have a proper recess. This is because children with autism dislike deviation from the routine which they are used to, and building off existing routines will help to ease the transition into home-based learning.
More Resources to Help Your Child with ASD Cope with Changes in Routine
More Resources to Help Your Child with ASD Cope with Changes in Routine
Use Visuals
Use Visuals
It is best to think of children with autism as 90% visual learners and 10% auditory learners. This means that you should make use of visuals when you are giving instructions. For example, instead of simply instructing them verbally, you can write down the instructions on a paper and show it to them.
You should also consider using schedules that has visual components such as pictures or drawings.
Visual Resources to Help Your Child with ASD
Visual Resources to Help Your Child with ASD
Use ABC's of Problem Behavior to Determine Purpose of Problem Behaviors
Use ABC's of Problem Behavior to Determine Purpose of Problem Behaviors
One of the biggest challenge you might face at home is when your child is exhibiting difficult or defiant behavior towards you. When responding to such problematic behavior, consider the ABC's of Problem Behavior. This method will have you think about what happened before the problematic behavior, the problematic behavior and what happens after the problematic behavior. The ABCs represents:
Antecedent
Antecedent
What happened before the behavior? What are the triggers for the behavior?
Behavior
Behavior
The behavior which you are trying to prevent
Consequence
Consequence
What happened after the behavior? What are the results that naturally follow after the behaviour?
By identifying the situations that set off the problematic behavior and also the consequence that follows after, you can now start to develop a hypothesis on what function or purpose the behavior serves for your child. Once you are able to to determine the function or purpose of the problematic behavior, you can take action to prevent or discourage this problematic behavior.
To help guide the process of developing a hypothesis for your child's problem behaviors, it is helpful to know what are the typical functions of problem behaviors:
To escape or avoid something undesirable
E.g. People, Activities, Demands, Tasks
To obtain access to something desirable
E.g. Attention, Activities, Objects, Control of the Situation
To help you understand how to use the ABC Behaviour Management Strategy better, consider the example below:
Example:
Example:
Problem Behavior: Throwing a tantrum
Antecedent: Parent instructs child to do work
Consequence: Child is sent to time-out in his room
Hypothesis:
When the parent instructs the child to do work, the child will start throwing a tantrum in order to get sent to time-out in his room and to avoid doing work.
The function of the child's problem behavior is therefore hypothesized to be the avoidance of work. In order to discourage this problem behavior, the parent should therefore not sent the child for time-out to his room, which allows the child to successfully avoid doing work, but to instead send the child to time-out, but to still insist for the child to complete his work after the timeout ends. Overtime, the child will learn that throwing a tantrum will no longer get him out of doing work and will thus stop using it as an escape strategy.
Antecedents to Use
Antecedents to Use
Antecedents to Avoid
Antecedents to Avoid
Provide Countdowns for Transitions
Giving Clear Expectations
Let your Child Have a Choice
Transitioning Without Warning
Assuming Expectations are Understood
Giving a Long Series of Instructions
Consequences to Use
Consequences to Use
Consequences to Avoid
Consequences to Avoid
Positive Attention for Positive Behavior
Actively Ignore Negative Behavior until Positive Behavior is Observed
Use Rewards as Motivator
Time outs
Return to the task once time out ends
Negative Attention for Negative Behavior
Delaying Consequences
Overeaction by giving Consequences that are Disproportionate
Positive Consequence for Negative Behavior
Implement New Ideas During Low-Stake Moments
Implement New Ideas During Low-Stake Moments
As mentioned earlier, children with autism do not like to deviate from their usual routine. It can therefore be challenging for you to implement any new ideas or routines you have without facing any resistance from them.
It is therefore imperative to identify low-stake moments, such as during the weekends or after work, where you are not rushing to be on time when implementing and practicing new ideas.
Involve your child by discussing the changes with them first before implementing it. This will better prepare them for the transition into the new routines you had set for them and minimize resistance.
To encourage your child to transit into these new routines more readily, consider the use of visual aids and rewards. When they comply with these new arrangments, reward their compliance immediately.
Keep Pushing The Boundaries
Keep Pushing The Boundaries
Although it is important to keep your expectations in check when trying to figure out what work best for your child. It is also important to be mindful to lower your expectations excessively. Continue pushing the boundaries with your child with ASD. If your child don't have to do something, then they won't.
Many parents of children with autism tends to make things too easy for their child and will tend to have lower expectations for them. However, this is not helpful for your child in the future. In order to help your child succeed, it is important push your child out of his comfort zone, as they will likely not do so on their own otherwise.
More Resources to Help Your Child Push His Boundaries
More Resources to Help Your Child Push His Boundaries
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