Austistic violent outbursts

[Chimpette]

Hi All,

Just had another report (3 this week) that Logan has been violent not only to his teacher but to other kids

He is getting worse at home as well and often hits his brother or pushes him over, I just don't know how to help him with this...

He is verbal (seems to be getting better every day) and has been diagnosed as high functioning autisic..

Does anyone have any advice? I am going to arrange a meeting with the school

I feel like I'm failing him..

 

[2boysmama]

You are not failing him. Just remember that kids with autism (even high functioning) lash out due to a lack of communication. Try to take some baseline data in your head, to see the ABC's of the behavior A=Antecedent (what happens immediately before the behavior B=the actual aggressive behavior C= the consequence of the behavior (What he got from it, what the people around him did) Once you have that information than you can reflect on the function of the behavior and then put into place things that he needs to help him avoid getting frustrated.
I wish I could be more specifically helpful, it is difficult when I don't know your son. But I do know you are on the right track because you are reaching out for help, and wanting to work with the school. You are doing exactly what a mom needs to do. Follow your instincts, keep loving him and teaching him to communicate effectively!
Good Luck

 

[Menelly]

Can I also suggest that maybe it isn't a lack of communication (exactly) sometimes? I know I can get to the point I want to be physical (although as an adult I've learned not to, but I was evil as a kid!) when I have sensory stimulus overload. Something that might make me just slightly pissed becomes something I want to deck someone for if I'm also dealing with a loud dog barking, a horrifyingly cloying toxically strong perfume smell, and buzzing flourescent lights at the same time. It's like so much of my brain is going toward keeping me from going insane with sensory overload that there isn't enough left to keep me from wanting to smash things.

Is there a way of seeing if there is something else bothering him? It might be the person who got attacked was the "straw that broke the camels back" in the long list of daily frustrations, and maybe getting rid of some of the other frustrations will give him the ability to cope with people better?

 

[hapi2bhealthy]

You are not failing him. Just remember that kids with autism (even high functioning) lash out due to a lack of communication. Try to take some baseline data in your head, to see the ABC's of the behavior A=Antecedent (what happens immediately before the behavior B=the actual aggressive behavior C= the consequence of the behavior (What he got from it, what the people around him did) Once you have that information than you can reflect on the function of the behavior and then put into place things that he needs to help him avoid getting frustrated.
I wish I could be more specifically helpful, it is difficult when I don't know your son. But I do know you are on the right track because you are reaching out for help, and wanting to work with the school. You are doing exactly what a mom needs to do. Follow your instincts, keep loving him and teaching him to communicate effectively!
Good Luck

This is really good advice! I am a special ed teacher and especially work with a LOT of ASD kids and this is exactly what we do to get our interventions started. What is causing the outburst to start- overstimulated? frustrated with communication? etc. As the PP stated who is an Aspie, overstimulation can be too much- too much noise, light, rushing! If the lashing out is happening at busy times or in certain places, sometimes it's best to give him a time away from all that. That is NOT "letting him get away with it"- remember your special boy does NOT think and process the way neuro-typicals do and this will cause behaviours that we sometimes think are irrational. Take some ABC data (really, the Teacher/Aide SHOULD be doing this! Look up some basic data taking sheets on google for ABC data!) and this will help you get started. He may only need some more down time than the other kids, remember how hard his brain is working at processing- much more than neuro-typicals!! Be kind to him, and talk to his teachers about an IEP which involves behaviour management. Insist they take data and be in CONSTANT communication.

If you need any advice, don't hesitate to PM me, I am in LOVE with my job and am so happy when I can help make one little person with a disability's life a bit easier gl