Please share your own ideas and suggestions in the comments section below!
Jamie’s comment, “Nobody is more of an expert on your child than you, ” gained the most likes, while Justina’s was, “Never underestimate the intelligence of autistic people!”
Adrian had a simple but important message for fathers of children with autism: “Dad, get involved. Yeah, you may have a demanding job, but not only does being involved benefit your child, but it benefits you as well. You are also your child’s advocate. Please make a commitment to attend as many Dr appointments, therapy sessions, and parent invites your child may have at his/her school as possible. You owe it to your child to be just as active as the mom is when it comes to ensuring your child gets the best care that he/she can. The burden of raising an autistic child shouldn’t fall squarely on the mom alone. Step up!!”
“Never beat yourself up or call yourself a bad parent. From experience, you will have easy days and not-so-good days. Have patience and get rest when you can. Get as much help and therapy for your child. Was Karen’s important message.
Tonya recommended “PATIENCE! It is very frustrating at times to be a parent or caregiver to someone on the spectrum. It is really easy to lose your patience with them at times, but you have to remember that they didn’t choose to be this way!” Sara suggested “ACCEPTANCE. Each child just wants to know they are loved and safe. Don’t try to change who they are; try to be more like them.”
Kyle said “Don’t shelter your child. Allow them to find their place in this world rather than protect them from it.”
On a practical note, Sherleen said, “Triple lock the doors or install alarms if you have an escape artist.” Amy shared, “Use first this, “then”….. that works well for my daughter.”
Another said, ” Always remember they will see and feel the world in their own way ! And it’s okay to be different !” Yet another reader said, “Always be prepared and have a good routine to avoid a meltdown.”
Dana suggested this, and I have to say I agree: “Make them live normally. Teach them right from wrong. Demand appropriate behaviour. Teach them to play and imagine. Colour therapy, speech therapy, and behaviour therapy. Autism doesn’t mean, no holds barred. My son 22 had full blown Autism. He’s a high-function Aspie now. Start each day with a clean slate.”
I’d like to end by quoting way more than on reader with a statement which gets my full support “Choose your battles!!”.
So what is your tip?
Why not share it in the comments section below?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
| colleensaddress | Researchers around the world have done a great deal of work for the autistic child. But, just like we all know, they are in bits and pieces like a puzzle, and it’s up to us to put them together. My granddaughter is just now beginning to make eye contact and to say her first words after 4 years. Having studied root possibilities, we focused on eliminating toxins such as glyphosate-based herbicides used in GMO practices, overly-processed foods (refined sugars and starches) and chlorine. All of which are now directly linked to the development of autism in clinical studies. We have been introducing organic foods and natural supplements. We see a difference, her therapists see a difference. |
| Google
Very handful of websites that take place to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely worth checking out. |
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| PHOTO LADY | I’m not a parent of autism, but I had an experience today that really threw me for a loop. I’m a youth sports photographer and while taking pictures today I noticed a young boy having a meltdown. He was kicking and punching his mother and throwing his bat towards one of my fellow photographers. My first thought was not autism, I just thought he was a brat and I was concerned hat he was going to damage one of our cameras. While trying to line his team up “tallest to shortest”, he was hitting and grabbing the hat off his teammate. He was crying and I was thinking his mom might pull him out of the group shot since he was so upset, but she didn’t? She just crouched down behind him, trying to hold him up as he flopped around swinging his arms. I went with it and took 3-4 pictures, but then tried to adjust the children to get a better photographic arrangement. I saw that the boy was again about to punch the teammate next to him and I put my hand between the boys to block the blow. The mom of the abusive boy started screaming at me, “How dare I grab her child with autism!” I told her I was sorry, it was a protective reflex. I just couldn’t stand by and watch the other child be smacked again (side-note: I never grabbed the boy. I just blocked the other boy from being punched yet again). She said she didn’t accept my apology. I apologized again and said it was wrong of me to intervene. She stormed off angry and screaming, “She couldn’t stand by and watch me grab her autistic child “. I in actuality do not feel as though I was wrong. Had I known he was autistic before I took the picture, I don’t think my reaction would have been any different. Why should he get a pass to be violent to another child? I’m asking you, the autism community, shouldn’t she have not forced him to be in the picture if it was upsetting him so? I feel very unsettled that she was so angry with me and so unconcerned for the welfare of the other children on the team. There are challenger sports leagues for special needs children. I’ve photographed many and have been praised for my patience and compassion, while attempting to get the best photograph possible. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated. I do not profess to know what you deal with day to day. I raised three healthy children, I’m an elementary school teacher, and a freelance youth sports photographer. I love all children and just want to be better educated on an appropriate response should I ever be in this situation again. |
“Characteristics of Autism – which ones do you identify with from this list?”
My main wish for this year is to make the “judgers” understand
The characteristics of autism can vary from person to person and across different environments. They can also be different for the same person at different times in their life. T
The characteristics of autism can be categorized into three main groups:
social interaction
social communication
social imagination
The first signs of autism may appear in a child under the age of two, while in some children the condition may not be detected until they are older
.Social interaction
An autistic person may find it hard to relate to other people. They may:
show little or no interest in other people
find it difficult to make friends
not seek affection in the usual way or resist physical contact such as kissing and cuddling
find it difficult to make eye contact with other people
want to have social contact, but have difficulty knowing how to initiate it
not understand other people’s emotions and have difficulty managing their own emotions
prefer to spend time alone
Social communication
An autistic individual may experience challenges with both verbal and non-verbal communication, and some individuals may never develop verbal language skills. Autistic people who do speak may use speech in an overcomplicated way, using odd phrases or odd choices of words.
They may also make up their own words or phrases and use more words than are necessary to explain simple things. Someone with autism may also have difficulty:
expressing themselves well
understanding gestures, facial expressions or tones of voice
using gestures to communicate
understanding instructions
Some people with autismmay develop echolalia, where they repeat words that have little meaning or repeat what has been said to them.
Social imagination
Children with autism may:
have limited imaginative play
play the same games over and over, or play with games designed for children younger than themselves
get upset if their daily routines are interrupted in any way
show repetitive behaviours, such as hand flapping or spinning
In addition, children and adults may also develop obsessions – for example, with specific objects, lists, timetables or routines.
Sensory difficulties
Most people with autismalso have sensory difficulties. This means they may be oversensitive to things like touch, certain textures, light levels, or sound.
Sensory difficulties can also lead to problems with movement. A person with ASD may appear clumsy or have an unusual way of walking.
Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome is another form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome will generally not have a learning disability and are often of average or above-average intelligence.
They will usually have fewer problems with language development but may still experience difficulties with social communication.
Asperger syndrome is often diagnosed later in children, and sometimes their difficulties may not be recognised and diagnosed until adulthood. This can cause a delay in getting appropriate support for the individual and their family.
Autism – At what age did you tell your child or were you told you or they were on the autism spectrum?
At what age did you tell your child they had autism
It is an interesting topic which comes up both at the school gate and our our facebook discussion page AutismTalk (check it out here https://www.facebook.com/AutismTalk).
At what age do you tell a child that she or he is on the autistic spectrum?
In the case of our son John he attended a nursery school specifically for children with autism. You can read more about the story here https://patienttalk.org/how-easy-was-it-to-get-your-child-diagnosed-with-autism/. So pretty much he know from the work go.
That being said others have very different opinions on the subject.
So we felt that it would be useful to run discussion blog post on the subject. So firstly we have created a poll to allow you to share.
Secondly we hope that you will consider using the comments box below to flesh out your story in a bit more detail. We are sure it will help people dealing with this issue.
Many thanks in advance
| JosephDSmith | PamelaHorbach JosephDSmithActually, I would recommend you read up on Temple Grandin, a world famous diary farm designer, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s. This is her website, if the Moderators don’t mind me to post the link;
Her website: http://templegrandin.com/ Also, use your favorite search engine, such as Yahoo!, Google, or whatever, and type in the search term, with the quotes around it, “Autism resources”. I hope that this helps. |
| PamelaHorbach | JosephDSmith PamelaHorbach is there something i could read and study tounderstand about it better,thanks for your help |
| Alaskagirl59 | Replying to lady asking about social skills. Medication played a big part in reducing inappropriatebbehaviors such as flapping, twirling, sqeezing legs etc. He started therapy at a young age, 3, and we began the education process as soon as we found out working closely with his educators. He had a few close friends who he felt comfortable with in school, and each year the school kept those classmates together with him. He was given many opportunities to educate his classmates about his condition, and he also had adult friends and family members who accepted him. In High School, he wanted to participate in some sports so we chose (together), Cross Country Skiing and Cross Country Running and Riflery and Swimming: things he could do that didn’t require alot of team interaction. He maintained the same 2 Counselors throughout High school, and we set up e-mail communication for weekly progress. He also has very concerned and SOCIAL siblings who stepped up…in a nutshell, a nearly perfect environment as much as we could make it, with feedback immediately for any inappropriate behaviors and real consequences to help him develop a few healthy supportive relationships. |
| JosephDSmith | PamelaHorbach I can still be a loner at times, but it’s only when I first meet someone. After that, I tend to open up, and never close.
I really only bettered my social skills when I turned 18, when I actually found out that I was autistic. I learned what it really meant to have Asperger’s, which gave me the opportunity to learn that my actions are often inappropriate, and it helped me learn why they were such. Before that, I had no idea that I was out of line, because nobody had ever explained to me why, and I was stubborn when I didn’t have an explanation. You just have to meet your son’s individual needs, and if he is ever diagnosed, then try to let him know what his condition makes him do, and let him know what can be done better the next time in regards to what his autism makes him do. |
| PamelaHorbach | What did u do to better your social skills be cuz my son is very shy and a loneR and he has never been diagnosed and I wonder ? We’re u shy and a loner? He’s 20 now and in college |
| Alaskagirl59 | We knew something was off when he was an infant. He was scissoring his legs. Did not like to be held, but enjoyed hours in his swing. Could imitate the sounds of a car shifting at several weeks of age. Talked early but sounds of any kind that involved machinery like fork lifts caused him to scream and panic. When he began walking, he started running from place to place and posing and dropping to the ground. This he also did in the middle of the street and we had to grab him up quickly to keep him from being hit. All the while my wonderful caregiver filmed video of his behavior to bring to the various doctors that evaluated him. Chief of Pediatric Neurology at Tulane University Medical Center, Oschner Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital . Complicating matters was my husband’s diagnosis of Tourette’s and Aspergers. Finally, a preschool Summer Volunteer, who also happened to be a Kindergarten teacher with a Masters in Speech and Language Pathology, called me aside and helped me get him evaluated by a Pediatric Neuropsychiatrist and into therapy and treatment. Diagnosis: High Functioning Autism vs. Aspergers. There is of course more to the story than this brief communication. Last year, in his High School swim class, we nearly lost him when a classmate noticed him on the pool’s bottom. He was unresponsive, taken to the ER, and treated for drowning…a follow up EEG showed abnormalities but not necessarily a seizure….through his hard work, honesty about his condition with classmates and loving, supportive siblings, he begins his Freshman year at UAA ( University of Alaska Anchorage), with a concentration in biological sciences with hopes to make it through Vet school. Our story may not be typical, but it’s our story.
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| JosephDSmith | BeckyMcCleveTraeger Good for you! Your son sounds like an angel, an angel with a passion for tolerance and respect. Most importantly, he knows the meaning of understanding. Before I knew that I was autistic, my younger sister Wendy was diagnosed with low-functioning autism before she was able to turn 3. Before she received her vaccinations, she was a normal-functioning little girl, doing things for herself, talking, and even singing, but when she was diagnosed with autism she lost all ability to function normally. My point is, my little sister taught me early on the meaning of understanding of others differences and I’ve always advocated for those with intellectual disabilities. I was only 3 when she was born, so that is an early age for advocacy. Thank you Becky for being a wonderful parent to your son, and for raising a fine young man. May you and your family be blessed, forever. |
| BeckyMcCleveTraeger | Our son wasn’t officially diagnosed until he was 5 1/2, with Aspergers so I answered the poll “5-6 years of age.” We have always been open and honest about being “different” and why he had to do so many therapies. I didn’t want him to be “surprised” by one day sitting down and having “the talk” with mom and dad… I based this off of experiences unrelated to ASD. Growing up a few of my friends were adopted. The ones that “always knew” were much more adjusted and confident while the ones who were sat down and told later on. They always seemed to struggle more. Being open/honest has also helped with extended family members and friends. It’s been 2 years since his official diagnosis and just 2 weeks ago, he spoke to his whole class about ASD and the challenges he faces (also the good things). He is already beginning to self advocate. We have had nothing but positive experiences in telling our son as early as we knew. |
| Lenadass | My son is 7, and we just found out he has Asperger’s syndrome and/or ADD. Should we tell him he is special from other kids? What is the appropriate age to tell? |
| CrystalHatcher | I have 2 sons with Autism. My younger son was diagnosed at 12, and he knew each step of they way what was going on. We talked about what it meant because I thought it was important for him to know that their is nothing wrong with him, that everyone is different in their own way. My older son was diagnosed at 17, a year after his younger brother and we told him as soon as we find out. |
| Ymkje Wideman | I was the primary caregiver of my grandson for the first 6 years of his life. He was diagnosed while living with me at 3 years of age. He asked me one day, “Autism Is…?” when he heard me talk about his autism with a friend. I later explained it by writing a story/poem for him. He loved it and so did my friends. In 2012 I published it as “Autism Is…?” It is available here https://www.createspace.com/3809107 and on Amazon.com. Many parents have used it to explain Autism to their children on the spectrum and it’s great for siblings, too. I hope this is helpful. |
| xenagirlcat | My brother was diagnosed at about 14 I think my family had to research each false diagnose and find the right doctors that could help us. I know one of the biggest problems we have is that my brother from his dad has multiple psychiatric issues. |
| ohree1720 | My son was diagnosed at age of 3. We were in disbelief initially, but quickly came to accept it . We read as many books as possible to get up to speed on a subject we knew little about but had a major impact on our lives. |
| GWall | I think when the child starts to notice it is a good time to tell them, especially if start they label themselves as a ‘Bad Child’. Just remember its a bigger deal for the parents, kids don’t know any different If they know from early on. Its when parents hide the truth it creates confusion and feeling of deception and insecurities in older children. |
| JosephDSmith | If it weren’t for me looking at my application for Vocational Rehab, I would’ve never have known that I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. My parents would NOT let a single soul tell me that I was autistic, not even my therapists, or my school counselors. I was shocked that they never told me, and this was a huge problem, because when I was going into the 8th grade, I noticed that I was “different” than everybody else, so I started to wonder what was “wrong” with me.
This wondering became overpowering through the years, so I had to seek therapy, but still the therapists weren’t allowed to tell me what was wrong, so I even thought that maybe it was from using permanent markers, but the therapist told me that just smelling them won’t make you do that. I spent many years just focusing only on what was wrong with me, and this lead to developmental problems with learning. I was so frustrated, trying to figure out every which was what was wrong with me, that I never learned to develop fully into an adult. If I had known that I was autistic from the beginning, I would’ve learned to develop better social skills and I would’ve realized why my actions weren’t appropriate. I hope you understand what I am saying. I am now going through a lot of psychological issues from the many years of stress. I was diagnosed at around 2 or 3 years old. My parents hid this from me, and I am just now learning to take better care of myself at the age of 25. I love my parents to death, and I understand why they hid it from me, because they didn’t want me to limit myself and to think that I was dumb or any less important. I have no resentment towards them like I did two years ago. I would do anything to protect them and to make them happy, and we are especially happy for my younger sister, at the age of 22, who is low-functioning autistic; she is the center of me and my parents’ lives! |
| KathrynA | My son, now 44, was diagnosed with pervasive development disability at age 4. We didn’t know it was a form of autism at that time. There were very few programs back then. It is very hard now that he is an adult because he is highly functional. He drives and holds a full-time job with good pay. We could use services for him because he is often uncommunicative with us. I hope that because of so much awareness now that more services for adults will come out of it as these kids grow up. |
| MandyTanner | My son started showing signs at the age of two but was officially diagnosed a few days after his 3rd birthday. I am still so overwhelmed and trying to find more information to help me with taking care of him. Your forum/blog has really helped in some of the areas I need help. I am just glad to have answers after a year wait to get him diagnosed. Thank you for your help as well! |
| KatrinaBaldwin | My son was formally diagnosed at the end of last year, at the age of 8. I’m still coming to terms with it and trying to understand it myself and as part of the process feel that it needs to be talked about openly both in our family and publicly. For that reason I have just this last couple of weeks started discussing it with him. I think it helping us both. |
Autism and Challenging Behaviour Part Seven – How to prevent a child on the autism spectrum from taking their clothes off. Some great tips!
Autism and Challenging Behavior
As regular readers of AutismTalk and this blog know we are very interested in discussing how people with autism and ASD and their caregivers have managed to deal with the myriad of social situations which can be generated by the interaction of autistic people with the world.
One of those issues which frequently comes up is that of taking off clothes in unsuitable places. Indeed there is quite a famous autism meme on the internet which reminds its readers “Not to be surprised if someone appears in the nude in this house” or words to that effect.
Our son, I’ll be honest, while happy to wear clothes does like taking them off for serious activities like playing on the iPad or watching science fiction on the TV. It normally takes him around 30 minutes before he has removed at least one garment after returning from school or a trip at the weekend.
That being said he never takes his clothes off at school unlike a number of his fellow students, according to the teachers at his unit . Indeed over the last few weeks he has on a couple of occasions asked if we could put some back on.
I’d say it is for John a minor issue but for others this is very much not the case. Indeed most people who see him after stripping know him well and are relaxed about it. It would be great if we could hear from others about their experiences in this area. It would be useful if you could think in terms of some of the following questions:-
a) Do you have a problem with a child with autism taking off their clothes?
b) Do you have a feel for what triggers this kind of behaviour and does it have any specific places where it manifests itself?
c) How did you overcome it?
d) What one piece of advice would you give to other parents and caregivers in such a situation?
These questions are only a guide. Please feel free to use the comments boxes below to add anything you think may be of interest on the subject to our readers.
| Nana62 | How do you deal with a child with autism wanting to run naked as there is two children in the home which are girls. Will this become a bigger problem as the kids get older?Right now girl age 9, girl age 4, autistic boy age 6 |
| Athansmom | My 14 year old son has been stripping down naked outside and in the garage. Tonight he snuck out at 10 pm, stripped down and waded through the drainage ditches behind the house and behind the neighbors house. He said his head told him to go on a Safari adventure???? I would never go in those ditches in the daylight with clothes and shoes never mind butt naked. |
| teenaok45 | My 14 year strips down to nothing when she is angry or wanting something. She will take off her shirt if she is hungry or wants something done right NOW. The issue that our family struggles with is that she wants everyone else’s cloths. She wants to wear some of the cloths…..but most of the time it is only to carry around. Our struggle with clothing every where all the time is a battle that I would like to WIN. I realize that the fact that she takes off her clothing to get her point across should have been addressed when she was much younger. Yet, I am the step mom. Her mother would always give her what she wanted to get her clothing back on. As we ignore her behavior she will finally start getting dressed again. Yet, there are times when she is completely passionate about something and will start banging her head or running down the road. AT this point I will give her what she is wanting. This is the first forum I have seen with even a discussion on this issue. I would like to find any one who has had this same issue??? I am wondering if there are any other suggestion out there. We have purchased weighted blankets / lap pads. I will even heat them up in the dryer. WE are only a week into this trial period. I am having to hide/lock up every ones clothing to keep her from gathering and carrying…..Thank you for any shares. |
| Tabbitha14 | Keepemon.com a site we have created with a bodysuit that has helped our son carter keep his clothes on |
| ColtonsMomma | My son is eight and a well known stripper in this area of Altoona PA my cure to limit this he doesn’t do it as often anymore I take and physically make him put the clothes back on himself as soon as he takes them off or when I see it coming He loves those silk basketball shorts boys wear so when he gets home he’ ll bring me a pair off his bed I try to understand he feels better when he is in loose clothes he won’t wear blue jeans or layers |
| Bones235 | autistic5468 my son doesn’t want to wear anything… used to have to wait for him to fall asleep in order to get a diaper on him so he wouldn’t wet the bed. only thing we could do is let him go and limit his water intake before bed and make sure he goes potty before falling asleep. |
| MylaBides | my 11 year old daughter who has autism and also profoundly deaf, removes her pants and diaper at times. sometimes while sleeping. so we’d wake up and she’s wet the bed. initially, when she was 9-10 yrs old, i got her swim suits over her diaper and under her clothes. it is just hard to dress her up because of the many layers, but she got used to it and we eventually stopped putting it on her. now, the behaviour is back and the swim suits are too small to fit her. so instead of getting her bigger swimsuits, we got her pants with a string around the waist that we can tighten in a ribbon to prevent her pulling them down. and a onesies which i hope she will not outgrow anymore. i would recommend consistency when it comes to unacceptable behaviour. if i see her doing it, i pull them back up right away. even when she’s at home or in the privacy of her room. |
| ShannonKrohn | autistic5468 I had a lot of trouble with my ASD son who is 3 now keeping his diaper on when he was younger , he would pull it off and waist so many diapers like that , I had to keep onesies on him for as long as i could and was lucky enough to find some larger ones , then i had to keep the zip up footie PJ’s on him until he figured out how to unzip them , i heard some people say you can cut the feet off and turn them backwards and that helps keep it on and the diaper , i also heard a few different people speak of duct tape around the waistline of the diapers lightly to prevent the child from pulling the tabs off |
| autistic5468 | Does anyone have an Autistic child that will not keep his/her diaper on. I have an Autistic child that will not keep his diaper on for nothing. |
| dmwarwick | My 16 year old son always likes to remove his clothes when he goes swimming in the pool. Now, this wasn’t sure a big problem when he was 5 yrs old, but now that he’s hit puberty, it’s an entirely different story! My sister is the only one that has a pool and so when she has parties at her house, my son will undoubtely want to swim and within minutes, the shorts are being flung out of the pool! His other cousins are sometimes lifesavers and will put his shorts back on his (under the water), because he always seems to wait until he’s in the deep end to take off his shorts (where I can’t get to him). I think he associates the pool water as the same as taking a “bath”. He also likes to swim naked, which maybe that is not so abnormal, but you think about how it will affect him when he’s older and not able to live at home anymore (with Mom and Dad). Does anyone else have problems with their child swimming or sleeping naked? Not sure how common this is. Thanks! |
| Terry Clark | passionateapanda I could not have said it better!!!! |
| Terry Clark | mysonmyworld This is a great idea and I will try to lay out his clothes before he gets to the point of stripping . At this point I will try any thing to keep him dressed. I am so scared to send him any where because in the end result some one will eventually call social service and give an opinion of some thing they know nothing about. I find that if people don’t know what is possible with an autistic child unless they have some education on the matter. Thank you for your input and your involvement on this site. |
| beaniebikerbabe | mysonmyworld same here although now he is older (13) he is not runing about naked, but is in his pj’s straight away from school and stays in them as long as he can, if we travel any distance he wants to be in pjama bottoms only and i am fine with this so long as he is covering his mondesty |
| graycelikerain | My son, 9 yo Aspie, only has this issue when he goes to the bathroom. I would hear him screaming and yelling from the bathroom because he couldn’t get his clothes off fast enough and apparently needed to REALLY go. (He also had other “odd” bathroom behaviors). He is now 9 and he still comes out of the restroom with his shorts on backwards and shirt inside out (which is how I know he still strips to go to the restroom). As a baby, before we knew anything, he would fuss and fuss unless we took his pants off. It was his diaper as well, back when they used plastic tabs vs the now fabric tabs. He was fine with shirts. Sensory was what we were always told, back when he was four. However, now that he’s 9, I’ve asked him why he takes all of his clothes off when he goes to the bathroom (even in a public restroom – which he used to REFUSE to use anyones restroom but our own, in our house), his response, “I don’t know…I just do”. |
| mysonmyworld | My son dose the same thing if people dont know anything about autistic behavior then they need to mind their own business |
| mysonmyworld | As soon as my 10yr old autistic son walks in the front door he is stripping his clothes off. He hates wearing anything but basketball shorts and a big tee shirt So b4 i even go pick him up from the bus stop I set out a tee shirt and a pair of basketball shorts cause he wears a uniform to school. It helps to lay the clothes out b4 my son gets home that way when he gets home and starts stripping i can point and tell him ok theres your conffy clothes and he is not just walking around in his underware |
| tifleah | It is probably sensory related. Have you noticed certain materials it is worse with to stick with only buying certain material, or remove all tags. My kids both do this at home. One is growing out of it, not as bad as he was, and one still does but not in public. |
| passionateapanda | My 6yo autistic son does this frequently at home or grandmas where he feels comfortable. I personally have no issue with this behavior but my family doesn’t seem to be as accepting of this. I have recently had a social worker come to the home and ask “accusations are that you allow your son to run around naked is this true? ” I answer in fact he does this is his house and if he doesn’t want to wear clothes what’s the problem? I’m tired of other uneducated people making assumptions that because my child is naked there is a bigger issues there is and it’s their stupidity. He did however undress himself at school but he stopped doing that about 3 months ago. The second he comes home from school he takes them all off and runs threw the house FREE! |
| teenagerwithautistim | I’m Autistic and this used to be a real issue for me personally – quite dangerously so-. I just very commonly didn’t understand what the issue was with it and it was by being discouraged from doing it is what stopped me doing it and eventually the situation fixed itself. I don’t personally advocate it but slapping me was what worked and kept me safe in public, I didn’t want to do it after that and it was embarrassing to be hit and I didn’t like being hit. If you could find a suitable deterrent for your situations, I’m sure that would work. |
| Terry Clark | klcooks Thank you for your reply and any advice is well taken. We have been up and down with Johnathan and he is aware some times ans others not. We have had some extremely embarrassing moments and some that have angered us to the point were we sounded off to the people who were so rude and uncaring to our grand son. We will always be aware of some one who will belittle children that are challenged when it comes to every day advantages and down rite disrespectful. We will embrace your ideas and put them to the test Thank you again for your thoughts and cares Terry Clark . |
| klcooks | My son Chase has always been a “flasher” of sorts but as in everything, I’m learning he requires routine. At home, I allow him to stay nude for about 5 minutes and then we put on his pajamas or a comfortable shirt with shorts. He used to do it mainly in the car but now he only takes off his socks and shoes. It’s been trial and error but I think the key is to not get frustrated. I think Chase picked up on our embarassment and frustration at times and it only made it worse. I will continue to train him as to what is appropriate so it can be routine. Keep praying not only for our children but for the strength, courage and wisdom to care for them while we wait on real medical solutions. |
| Harmony6 | This behavior only started recently (past 2 months) in my 9 y/o ASD son. He too, starts the strip upon arriving home from school, typically with his shirt and socks, but is often totally in the nude in his room when playing his iPad or on the family laptop. On occasion he will appear downstairs to watch TV naked much to the dismay of his sisters. He used to be very modest and now is unfazed. I gently remind him that not everyone is impressed or appreciates all of his body parts and since some are dirtier than others because they aren’t washed as often, perhaps they could be covered when using common areas and provided him a robe….We’ll see what happens! |
| Terry Clark | I always have problems with him and clothes and it seems like the only time he will get dressed is if we are going to go out side and if it is nice he wants to undress. |
| LalaliciouzArciga | Iam a motheof a 4 year diagnosed with autism and I have zthe same issues regarding the clothes matter he also don’t like socksnor shoes |
| Terry Clark | I have not figured out why Johnathan takes his clothes off and I don’t know if I ever will and it has become a big big issue for us to keep him in clothes. We went to McDonalds play land and Jonathan took his clothes off in the slide and while we were trying to get his clothes on the manager approached us and very sarcastically asked if we was planning on dressing our son. and it was then that i realized that only a few people would understand what autism is and my Johnathan would always need some one to defend him as to the fact he cant talk or work out problems that are essential to functioning in every day living. and when it comes to people being cruel and demeaning to him he would not know that he was being attacked because of his Autism. Johnathan is very loving and dont have a violent bone in his body and when it comes to pain he does not react to pain in any way we would . I am fifty years old and have custody of my five year old grand son and my greatest fear is that I am going to get to old to take care of him when he is older . Johnathan does not have any one else to step up and take over the responsibility of guardian. I find every day I am living life in desperation to find away to make sure he will be loved and not abused when I am gone.and that is the worst thing I could live with. |
| FamWallman | My son also feels warm or egen hot most of the time. I would like to know if anyone knows if there are any theories why they feel hot. Does it have anything to do with metabolism, nutrition, inflammatory, or something else? |
| autumnjoy79 | My daughter used to strip when she was angry, it didn’t matter where she was at. She has since outgrown that stage. The only thing she does everyday is change her clothes back into pajamas as soon as she gets home from school everyday. |
| VickiDennison | I’m wondering if it has something to do with feeling safe and secure at home and stripping outside or at school could be their way of telling us they don’t feel secure and want to go home? I know my son doesn’t like trousers with buttons and certain tops. He also hates wearing socks and they are the 1st things to be removed as soon as we walk thru the door |
| RosieMarie | My son does this and I never linked it to the autism or the sensory issues. He only does it at home in the afternoon. It usually starts with his left sock. about an hour or two later the pants will follow. Next would be his shirt. Last is the other sock. |
| Trixie Ong |
Diagnosing Autism – A How to Guide
Autism – diagnosis
See your GP or health visitor if your child is showing symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or you’re worried about their development.
If appropriate, your GP can refer you to a healthcare professional or team who specialise in diagnosing ASD, or someone who has access to such a team.
The specialist or specialist team will make a more in-depth assessment, which should be started within three months of the referral.
If you’re referred to an individual specialist, they may be a:
psychologist – a healthcare professional with a psychology degree, plus further training and qualifications in psychology
psychiatrist – a medically qualified doctor with further training in psychiatry
paediatrician – a doctor who specialises in treating children
speech and language therapist – a specialist in recognising and treating communication problems
Some local health authorities use multidisciplinary teams. These are a combination of specialists who work together to make an assessment.
Assessment
A diagnosis of ASD is based on the range of features your child is showing.
For most children:
information will be needed from your GP, nursery or school staff, plus speech and language and occupational therapists, about your child’s development, health and behaviour
a speech and language therapist, and often an occupational therapist, will carry out an assessment
a detailed physical examination will need to be carried out to rule out possible physical causes of your child’s symptoms, such as an underlying condition like neurofibromatosis or Down’s syndrome
the assessment will include a check for any coexisting physical health conditions and mental health problems
In addition, for some children:
you may be asked to attend a series of interviews so a detailed family history and the history of your child’s development and behaviour can be drawn up
your child may be asked to attend a series of appointments so specific skills and activities can be observed and assessed
Once this process is complete, a diagnosis of ASD may be confirmed.
After diagnosis
When a child is diagnosed with ASD, many parents are keen to find out as much as they can about the condition. The National Autistic Society has an excellent range of resources and advice.
Diagnosing ASD in adults
Some people with ASD grow up without their condition being recognised, but it’s never too late to get a diagnosis. Some people may be scared of being diagnosed because they feel it will “label” them, and lower other people’s expectations of them.
But there are several advantages to getting a diagnosis. It helps people with the condition and their families understand ASD and decide what sort of support they need. A diagnosis may also make it easier to access autism-specific services and claim benefits.
See your GP if you think you may have ASD and ask them to refer you to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. The National Autistic Society website has information about being diagnosed with ASD if you’re an adult.
If you’re already seeing a specialist for other reasons, you may want to ask them for a referral instead.
Read more about diagnosing ASD in adults and advice for adults living with ASD.
You can also read the NICE guidelines about the recognition, referral, diagnosis and management of adults on the autism spectrum (PDF, 267kb).