The first item on that list is a manual created for those who work with Deaf-Blind kids, who also have learning issues and perseverative behaviors similar to autistic kids. Here's the direct link to the manual.
You can jump right to the most interesting chapters, which each end with guidelines for instruction and intervention (ie a list of concepts to learn, easy activities for instruction, and troubleshooting tips). You and your son's school could come to an agreement on how to divide your roles in dealing with this behavior.
Here's a list of the subject matter covered in those chapters:
Chapter 4 - Modesty
Chapter 5 - Appropriate Touch and Personal Boundaries
Chapter 6 - Menstruation
Chapter 7 - Masturbation
Chapter 8 - Sexual Health Care
Chapter 9 - Sexual Abuse
Good luck with everything!
Hello, I recently joined the forum hoping to get some insight and suggestions about different behaviours that my 15 year old son exhibits.
Lately, his (Robert's) teacher has been complaining that he is starting to frequently expose his genitals. He also will randomly put his hands in his pants, which is very inappropriate, in a school setting and anywhere at all. She is turning to me to help solve the problem, but I am at a loss for what to tell her.
We have tried to explaining to him that this is a "bad" thing, but he does not have have the capacity to understand what is OK, and what should not be done. We do not know if he does this for some sort of pleasure, as it has just started occuring at a time when he is reaching maturity/going thru puberty.
Any suggestions or insight would be greatly appreciated.
Krystyna R.
This is common with boys who have autism. If they are capable of understanding, they need to be told where it's all right to do that and where it isn't. I know my son does it a lot in his room. It's also a good idea to tell boys not to touch girls that they think are pretty. It seems basic, and is to most kids, but to our kids, it's something you teach, like you teach them how to feed themselves when they're toddlers.
Welcome to the board!!
We are not at that age (yet) but I remember that Susan Senator in her
book 'making peace with autism' wrote about dealing with the same thing
in her son. Maybe you could get the book from the library- she had good
advice. As far as I remember she managed to get her son to understand
the idea of 'privacy' and he learned to never to mastrubate or expose
himself in public, just in his room. Though he did not always remember
to close the door. I believe she used social stories to help him with the
idea of privacy.
I thing getting very interested in private parts is a really normal part of
developement for any kid and the best you can hope for is to have him
understand where these behaviors are appropriate.
I hope some moms of older kids have more/better input. Good luck. I had a friend who was dealing with a similar issue in a teenage son (I dealt with it this summer with a 5 year old) Will he follow very specific instructions ie "No hands in pants?" or "No touching at school". With both the children I encountered they were told very specifically "No touching genitals at school" which for them, when repeated and redirected did the trick. You say he doesn't have the capacity to understand that it's not OK which might make things a little more difficult.. I wish I had more advice :-(
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