Helping children with Asperger’s and other autism spectrum disorders to deal with losing and disappointment

I am a firm believer in using social tools to help with children with Autism.  With Adam, when trying to potty train him we wrote a social book and would read it to him about going to the bathroom.  He got comfortable with the story and then he felt comfortable enough to use the bathroom.

We also use charts to help re-enforce his feelings and behaviors.  We found that this is quite effective.

Children with ASD often have particular problems with losing: Not getting their way, not being first, not being chosen or called on, not winning.  Here are some reasons for this.

First, their lack of perspective-taking abilities can make children with ASD less aware of unwritten social agendas: others also want to be first; others like to win, too.

Second, many children with autism struggle with problems regulating upsetting emotions.

Third, lots of kids with ASD have tough lives day to day.  When something does not go their way, it might be the last straw in a long string of deeply frustrating experiences.

I have included some of the signs we use and have placed in Adam's room.  WE also created feeling charts that encourage them to use their words instead of acting out their emotions in a destructive way.