Thursday 8 May 2014

How a small change can unsettle an ASD child


Most of us take it for granted that a deviation to our normal routine is part of life and we adapt with ease. Unfortunately anyone who has ASD does not necessarily react in the same way.

This week my husband had an early morning dentist appointment and thought he would surprise the kids and take them to school before he caught his train to work. Our daughter spotted him walking up the road as we approached her school and she said a hurried goodbye and dashed into school. When I asked her later what was wrong, she replied 'You take me to school, I don't see Daddy on the way to school'.  He had upset her normal morning routine. 

When we took our sons to their school. our youngest son who has ASD tugged at my sleeve as soon as we entered the playground and pulled me towards the spot where we stand each morning to wait for his 1:1 to come out and collect him. My husband wandered over after talking to someone and our son just looked at the ground and ignored any conversation. He was in his 'zone' and noone was going to interrupt him. He has to stand in the same place each day to prepare himself for school and to help him cope with all the sensory distractions in the playground.  Like our daughter, he was not going to let his normal morning routine be upset.

Our other son who's nine ignored both of us, but that's down to it not being cool to be in the top year group at lower school and chat to your parents!!

It is upsetting to see our two ASD children struggle to cope with what may seem a minor change and luckily as parents we have both developed thick skins so that we don't take everything personally.   In time, hopefully they will learn to accept that things can change without warning.  It's not going to happen overnight but we will get there with patience. 

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