Hysterical laughter | Autism PDD

Hi, I'm new to the board and a mother of an 11 year old child diagnosed as PDD/NOS. Currently, my son is beginning to engage in hysterical laughter. He would always laugh at things that others had no clue what he was laughing at, but now it's getting out of hand. In the past his laughter was like this mainly when he was tired, and since he is hard to put down to bed the more tired he got, the worse the laughter got. Now he laughs if he's in trouble, laughs when he's playing, laughs when you tell him to talk to you instead of laughing...basically...the boy just LAUGHS. Everything I try to do to discourage it just does not seem to work. Does anyone else experience this problem and if so has anyone discovered a successful way to address it? Thanks in advance for any information you could give me. mightymom38550.5747685185We don't have this problem, but would social stories help?? Maybe he could see appropriate ways to react to things in the stories. Just a suggestion. I'm sure someone else will have a better idea. Good luck!

Kellie

Sorry mightymom I don't really have advice. My son is only 2, and he does have inappropriate (recently laughs inbetween screams and cries during tantrums it's very odd) and "fake" laughter on occasion, but I don't know what to do about it. And so far it's not too bothersome or out of control. He has not been dx'd yet either.

Sorry you are having a tough time w/ this situation. Our kids just like to keep us going crazy and on our toes at all times huh?

Amber

Thanks so much for the welcome, they def. do know how to keep us on our toes-LOL. Yes, socially,when at a movie or storytelling, etc, he tends to laugh at the appropriate moments, however, sometimes it is certainly "fake laughter". It's when he's overstimulated that the laughter is worse, I know that like many things with my son this too will probably pass, he def. goes through a million phases a year, but meantime, I think the hardest part is he becomes even more socially shunned when he does this. He's fine when he's around other children with autism, he plays in a softball league for children with autism, and they are a great group for him to be around. The hard part is that he's now at an age where you can tell he understands more that he is "different" and it hurts to see him hurt, but he can't seem to control the things he does sometimes. We'll just keep working at it, until this ends and the next adventure comes along. Thanks

Im not exactly sure how too go about stopping this.... My son does have inapproperate laugher, but not to the extent you are describing. I do know how exhausting the behaviors can be though and how you worry about their peers reacting. Have you contacted his ST to ask what his or her recommendations are?

Here are a few ideas that come to mind. Keep in mind not all the kids respond the same and nothing works in all kids. Keep in mind too Im just a parent offering some ideas not any type of professional (ALthough I bet many parents have more knowledge then the professionals! LOL At least we are experts on our own kids!)

Many behaviors will appear suddenly and go on for months and then suddenly disappear. It could be a stim that is calming him when he feels anxiety, stress, happiness, sadness etc. Sometimes if you just do your best to igore it and ride it out it will go away. Sometimes responding to it teaches them a reaction and they will continue.

ANother thought when he laughs inapproperately think about that he is doing at the time. Is there something you could give him to do that would be more acceptable than the loud inapproperate laugh? Maybe teach him a saying or handing him a koosh ball to fidget with? Keep in mind our kids DO NOT know how to respond so we have to TEACH them approperate behaviors. But be consistent and make sure everyone working with him or who are around him do the EXACT SAME THING CONSISTENTLY.

Sometimes a simple verbal reminder. "STOP. We dont laught that loud and/or that long." Try to keep in mind too many of these kids respond to OUR voices, so if they hear us raise our voice they may react to it.

Also you may want to model approperate behavior work through short sessions every so often show me how we laugh and over mimic a deep quiet chuckle type laugh thats more acceptable then the high pitched approperate laugh.

OR go through some activity time with him try to play a board game if he is able to or another activity he may like. Talk as best you can with him. If he has communication skills go through proper senerios..... If I dropped something on my toe and yelled because it hurt would you laugh? NO we ask "are you ok" and give a hug. if I went to get you a drink and I got a bowl instead of a cup would that be funny? Yes then we laugh like this.....

Practice laughing together approperately.

I hope something helps! Good Luck

I know with Gabe he did that but he does alot of things for effect. So I got to where I would ignore some of his behaviours. It seemed to be the more I corrected him on the laughter the worse it got. So when I started ignoring it , it eventually went away.

Tammy

Thanks guys....I have to admit that today was a pretty good day with the laughter...some...but not as much as usual. I'm not sure what it is, but after two weeks of hysterical laughter I hope he's moving forward from it, although one day is too early to really tell. Usually, he doesn't revisit things once he moves forward, he just comes up with the next new and exciting challenge

Tammy

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Tammy

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LOL...I gotta say....they always think of that one thing that you could not imagine in your wildest dreams...and perfect it into something so maddening that it threatens your sanity.