Autism Separation Anxiety

This is what happens when our autistic son needs to separate from us. His ability to calm down has improved dramatically. These melt downs used to take 40-50 minutes.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Autism
• Separation
• Anxiety
• difficulty separating
• inflexible
• motivation
• stickers

[InfurnusChaotix]

I would trade off my ADHD and Tics for Autism if I could.

[hopeforezra]

@InfurnusChaotix You know, sometimes I really think the ADHD is the bigger problem than the autism. Either way, have you heard of Dr. Daniel Amen? All of our family have ADD problems, and we are now using his recommendations to treat them. First step: good diet, exercise, and vit D supplements. Check it out. Another book my husband has really been liking is this one: "Delivered from Distraction: Getting the most out of life with ADD".

[shimmyg68]

so, basing on your experience, it is better to treat them with patience and calmness, is it? rather than being strict and telling them that we are 'no-nonsense parents'? sorry my english is not that good... im so full of anxiety now over this sudden change of behaviour of his and am starting to feeling so downnnn... ive been searching the internet and found you so i hope you could really help me.... thank you so much for your help...

[hopeforezra]

@shimmyg68 For everyone's benefit: No matter the behavior, patience and staying calm is always better. You can be firm, but still loving and kind when you put them in time out. In fact, when your actions are motivated out of love and concern, they feel it, and eventually it works. If your motivation is anger and frustration all you will inspire is fear, and then you have to create bigger and bigger reactions to produce fear. They get addicted to reactions because it makes their brains light up.

[dlfreak1]

very good parents! only ive seen one thing,, the dad who helps him, calls the word sticker for like 12 times. the sticker that he gets when he did it right,, will prove him if he shows mad things. like this. when my son showing this agressive thing (sorry english isnt very well) he 'll stay in the corner. ok it's a kinda the hard way! but he's angry 2 times in one mond. perfect training! greats from holland!

[hopeforezra]

@dlfreak1 Time out is only for when he is throwing a tantrum on purpose. This is an anxiety attack. It is not his fault. So we use positive reinforcements and coping mechanisms. It works better for him. And we used to time out faithfully, until we saw that he would purposefully do things that got him time out, because it became a predictable routine, that gave him a sense of security, so obviously that didn't work at all.

[Koyko200]

I know his pain. I'm a High Functioning Autistic (Asperger).. I know how he feels.

[hopeforezra]

This is an update: today January 2012 he has no problem separating from us when we go on a date or anywhere. He isn't excited, and asks when we are coming back, but there is no issue. He also happily gets ready and takes the school taxi each morning. So for all you struggling parents out there, for whom I posted this video, continue with calmness and love, and eventually they will learn to master their anxiety.

[dikkenerd100]

@squirlysquirly969 lol

[squirlysquirly969]

Wow what a fuckup.

[aceinlasvegas]

Funny. I was completely apathetic about who I was with, just as long as I didn't feel stranded. When I had to be handed off from a parent to a grandparent, teacher etc. I was terrified of strangers out of the blue. But if someone I knew handed me off to someone I didn't know after telling me that person was safe to be with, I'd be my usual aloof self with them. Just remember, when an autie kid freaks, remain calm. They need your calmness as an anchor.

[lost619]

Bless him, u did a great job here

[shimmyg68]

@hopeforezra

hiii.. we are now suspecting that our 4+ year old boy maybe a little autistic... he has started throwing tantrums (eg if he was engrossed playing, then if i asked him whether he wanted to eat/drink, he will throw down his toy and stepped on it).. he is not sociable, but he can talk though not that expressive..