| Introduction | | | | serves to help your child understand that not everyone |
| Disciplining children displaying asperger characteristic | | | | shares their enthusiasm for their subject matter. |
| behavior will often require an approach which is | | | | Bridging The Gap Between Aspergers and Discipline |
| somewhat unique to that of other children. Finding the | | | | and Other Siblings |
| balance between understanding the needs of a child | | | | For siblings without Aspergers syndrome, the |
| with aspergers and discipline which is age appropriate | | | | differential and what at times no doubt appears to be |
| and situationally necessary is achievable when applying | | | | preferential treatment recieved by an Aspergers sibling |
| some simple but effective strategies. These strategies | | | | can give rise to feelings of confusion and frustration. |
| can be implelented both at home or in more public | | | | Often they will fail to understand why their brother or |
| settings. | | | | sister apparently seems free to behave as they |
| General Behaviour Problems | | | | please without the normal constraints placed upon |
| Traditional discipline may fail to produce the desired | | | | them. |
| results for children with Aspergers syndrome, primarily | | | | It is important to explain to siblings, or peers of |
| because they are unable to appreciate the | | | | Aspergers children and encourage open discussion |
| consequences of their actions. Consequently, punitive | | | | about the disorder itself. Encouragement should extend |
| measures are apt to exacerbate the type of behavior | | | | to the things siblings can do to assist the Aspergers |
| the punishment is intended to reduce, whilst at the | | | | child, and this should be positively reinforced through |
| same time giving rise to distress in both the child and | | | | acknowledgement when it occurs. |
| parent. | | | | Sleep Difficulties |
| At all times the emotional and physical wellbeing of | | | | Aspergers Children are renouned for experiencing |
| your child should take priority. Often this will necessitate | | | | sleep problems. Children with Aspergers may have |
| removing your child from a potentially disressing | | | | lesser sleep requirements, and as such are more likely |
| situation as soon as possible. Consider maintaining a | | | | to become anxious about sleeping, or may find they |
| diary of your child's behavior with a view to | | | | become anxious when waking during the night or early |
| ascertaining patterns or triggers. Recurring behavior | | | | in the morning. |
| may be indicative of a child taking some satisfaction in | | | | Combat your child's anxiety by making their bedrooms |
| receiving a desired response from peers, parents or | | | | a place of safety and comfort. Remove or store |
| teachers. | | | | items which might be prone to injur your child if they |
| For example, a child with Aspergers may come to | | | | decide to wander at night. Include in the behavioral |
| understand that hurting another child in class will result | | | | diary a record of your child's sleep patters. It may |
| in his being removed from class, notwithstanding the | | | | assist your child if you keep a list of their routine, |
| associated consequence to his peer. The solution may | | | | including dinner, bath time, story and bed, in order to |
| not be most effectively rooted in punishing the child for | | | | provide structure. Include an image or symbol of them |
| the behavior, or even attempting to explain the situation | | | | waking in the morning to provide assurance as to |
| from the perspective of their injured peer, but by | | | | what will happen. Social stories have proven to be a |
| treating the root cause behind the motivation for the | | | | particularly successful tactic in decreasing a child's |
| misbehavior...for example, can the child be made more | | | | anxiety by providing clear instructions on how part of |
| comfortable in class so that they will not want to leave | | | | their day is likely to play out. |
| it? | | | | At School |
| One of the means to achieve this may be to focus on | | | | Another Asperger characteristic is that children will |
| the positive. Praise for good behavior, and | | | | often experience difficulty during parts of the school |
| reinforcement by way of something like a Reward | | | | day which lack structure. If left to their own devices |
| Book, can assist. The use of encouraging verbal cues | | | | their difficulties with social interaction and self |
| delivered in a calm tone are likely to elicit more | | | | management can result in anxiety. The use of a buddy |
| beneficial responses than the harsher verbal warnings | | | | system can assist in providing direction, as can the |
| which might be effective on children who are not | | | | creation of a timetable for recess and lunch times. |
| displaying some sort of Asperger characteristic. If | | | | These should be raised with class teachers and |
| necessary, when giving directions to cease a type of | | | | implemented with their assistance. |
| misbehavior, these should also be couched as | | | | Explain the concept of free time to your child, or |
| positives rather than negatives. For example, rather | | | | consider providing a seperate purpose or goal for your |
| than telling a child to stop hitting his brother with the | | | | child during such time, such as reading a book, or |
| ruler, the child should be directed to put the ruler down. | | | | helping to set up paint and brushes for the afternoon |
| Obsessive or Fixated Behaviour | | | | tasks. |
| Almost all children go through periods of development | | | | In Public |
| where they become engrossed in one subject matter | | | | Children with Aspergers can become overwhelmed to |
| or another, but children with Aspergers often display | | | | the point of distress by even a short sourjourn in public. |
| obsessive and repetitive characteristics, which can | | | | The result is that many parents with Aspergers simply |
| have significant implications for behaviour. | | | | seek to avoid as much as possible situations where |
| For example, if an Aspergers child becomes fixated | | | | their child is exposed to the public. Whilst expedient, it |
| upon reading a particular story each night, they may | | | | may not offer the best long term solution to your child, |
| become distressed if this regime is not adhered to, or if | | | | and there are strategies to assist with outings. |
| the story is interrupted. Again, the use of a behavior | | | | Consider providing your child with an ipod, or have the |
| diary can assist in identifying fixations for your child. | | | | radio on in the car to block out other sounds and |
| Once a fixation is identified, it is important to set | | | | stimuli. Prepare a social story or list explaining to the |
| appropriate boundaries for your child. Providing a | | | | child a trip to the shops, or doctor. Be sure to include |
| structure within which your child can explore the | | | | on the list your return home. Consider giving your child |
| obsession can assist in then keeping the obsession | | | | a task to complete during the trip, or having them |
| within reasonable limits, without the associated angst | | | | assist you. At all times, maintaining consistency when |
| which might otherwise arise through such limitations. | | | | dealing with Aspergers and discipline is key. It pays to |
| For example, tell your child that they may watch their | | | | ensure that others involved in your child's care are |
| favourite cartoon for half an hour after dinner, and | | | | familiar with your strategies and techniques, such as |
| make clear time for that in their routine. | | | | those outlined above, and are able to apply them. |
| It is appropriate to utilise the obsession to motivate and | | | | Most importantly, don't hesitate to seek support |
| reward your child for good behaviour. Always ensure | | | | networks for parents with Aspergers syndrome, and |
| any reward associated with positive behavior is | | | | take advantage of the wealth of knowledge those |
| granded immediately to assist the child recognising the | | | | who have dealt with the disorder before you have |
| nexus between the two. | | | | developed. The assistance you can gain from these |
| A particularly useful technique to try to develope social | | | | and other resources can assist you in developing |
| reciprocity is to have your child talk for five minutes | | | | important strategies to deal with problems with |
| about a particularly favoured topic after they have | | | | Aspergers in a manner most beneficial to your child. |
| listened to you talk about an unrelated topic. This | | | | |