Karen’s Free Health and Fitness Tips

Autistic children often have issues with self-control and self-discipline. So much of their world is completely out of their control they easily become frustrated and overwhelmed at the things they cannot change and the frustrations they cannot communicate to those who love and care for them. Aggressive behaviour is one example of the behaviours they exhibit in frustration and upset. By providing the child with self- management tools you give them back the tools to cope with life and leave them in their control.

Self-management skills work effectively for the autistic child because it gives them back some of the power they have lost over their lives as a result of autism. By teaching them their own self management tools they can use them in school, at someone else’s house, in your home or anywhere they feel they are losing self-control. By starting with relatively short intervals and building up you give them more and more control of their world. Be supportive and set clear goals, reassure the child regularly they are in control of themselves. Set goals for the child to obtain, such as no aggressive behaviour for the afternoon. By being clear and reassuring them of their own control over their actions and behaviours you may see a positive change in the child that will grow as their time in control grows.

Self-discipline is a task we can all build on, whether we have autism or not. The world would be a better place to live and function if we all exhibited self control and discipline.

By: Sylvia Rolfe

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