Although many people with autism seem to improve as they get older, many of the symptoms worsen during adolescence. Repeating the same schedule and skills over and over again will help them and keeping them on a schedule is crucial. My son, whom I love dearly, went off of the deep end during adolecence. We went to doctor after doctor and therapist after therapist. The therapist thought it would be better just to give him what he was obsessing about. BAD IDEA!!! It was horrible. It made his obsession so out of control, you couldn't even help him. The only thing that worked for him was constant supervision and redirection when his obsessions and behavior became inappropriate. I had his schedule posted in several locations throughout the house so he could visually see what he was supposed to do. Picture cues and verbal cues were also used.
If you have an autistic child, go online, there are several sites that you can make free charts and schedules for children. Make one up, post it in their room, on the refridgerator and in many rooms of your home. Also, get the school involved with the schedules. Use picture maker (there are some of these free online too) to make cards to redirect and prompt the schedule. Be consistant. Everyone involved with this child need to be doing the same thing all of the time. Any change will throw them completely off.
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