Autism and violence

[Guest guest]

If the boy who hit the bus driver's arms had been 10, even 5 years younger,

I'm sure he wouldn't have been in as much trouble. Obviously the boy does not

understand what he did was wrong & to face a potential criminal penalty is

not appropriate. People fear what they don't understand. To many, just the

fact that these kids " look " normal means that they are not impaired. And

anyone who knows anything about autism knows that a child with this condition

is incapable of malicious intent or lying to keep from getting into trouble.

[Guest guest]

Is being Autistic a criminal offense? Evidently in Indianapolis, Indiana

it

is and it lands people in jail. Let me explain.

It seems that a 15 year old Autistic boy became upset on the school bus

because he didn't have his favorite shoes with him. He tried to leave the

bus, and when the driver refused to allow him to leave, he began hitting

her arms. She, of course, called for security, and the boy was subdued.

Just a quick response to what was written--I don't know the situation any

more than that. Being autistic is not a crime, but assault is. That is

what the boy was arrested for. It serves as a wake-up call that we must

have a plan, and work with our autistic kids, to stave off violent

tendencies. Write it into IEP's if we must, but we must get our heads

out of the sand and not expect others to serve as punching bags for our

kids because they are disabled.

A man in a wheelchair here assaulted a driver on a handicapped bus and

was charged and convicted of the offense. I don't believe anyone should

use disabilities as a buzzword to hide behind when they have committed

criminal actions.

Parents--it's our job to work with our kids, and with the IEP teams, too.

Let's do our job so there will be fewer reports like this. Somebody

probably let this boy down, but that does not excuse assault. Cheers,

M.

[Guest guest]

Constant intervention. Keeping a steady eye on everything he is doing, so

you can jump in before it escalates into violence. Try to find friends who

can help you with this, if only one other person to give you some relief.

Watch him as you would watch a two year old, whenever he is in a situation

that might cause aggressiveness.

I have not read your other post, so please forgive me if I am missing your

problem. My son gets out of control, but has gotten to the point that he

stops himself before he loses it. I no longer have to physically stop him.

He and I talked a great many times about his feelings, and his hopes, what

kind of a person he want to be, how he'd like for people to like him. And

looking at what he does that would keep people at bay. Once he started

recognizing some of the problems, then he would allow me to help him stop

himself. In the beginning I would have to get him to take him from the

situation, which wasn't easy for him. Now he takes himself away from it,

and sometimes is able to stay there and take it without losing it. And

learning to socialize with me, and family is the start to learning about

how to deal with others. So he and I spend a lot of time together, and I

listen to what ever he wants to talk about. I use every opportunity to

discuss how to deal with situations, with people, with himself.

The major problem is to get your child to see the problem.

Lolita

>So, do you have any great advice on how to train these

>kids, especially after my letter to the list about how

>my sons week at school has gone. How do you train a

>child like this to NOT get aggressive when the world

>around them is so out of control? I am sorry, but I

>have punished, and given alternatives, and I am

>willing to try everything short of sedating my son,

>and I am NOT excusing his behavior, but how do you

>TEACH a child to control something that is beyond

>their control.