Where Are We Going?
“How can I get my younger or older child with Autism to get or stay, in or out of their car or bus seat NOW?

Getting someone out of a position we want to stay in, or to stay where we do not want to be, is a struggle. However, this problem not actually what is going on. Usually, there has been a serious communication breakdown about several key transitional questions: “Where we are going? When will we get there? What is my job until we get get there? What happens next?” These are the most frequently asked questions within our Autism community--in many forms and across many settings. When answers to functional work and schedule questions are clear, about 90% of what look like, insurmountable behavioral problems will vanish. This is most true when the people involved experience communication losses. Adaptive communication tools can be effective in getting us to where we need to go from where we find ourselves now. So let’s get going:
When a person with Autism needs to get into a car or bus seat it helps to give them a kind of “go to the car” visual cue to carry. This can be a little toy vehicle, or a bag with a picture of the target vehicle on it and some favorite “sit and keep busy” ride items inside. It also helps to place and tap a “get into MY own seat” picture of them sitting in that seat, ON the seat back as clear, constant “sit and stay” work directive. These cues should be introduced on a day, or series of days, when it does NOT matter WHEN you all leave. This takes the pressure off the adults, so we can use our “No More Tantrum” techniques well. This lets our children learn that riding in vehicles is a kind of real work expectation that we NEED them to go along with correctly every single time. Never-Never-Never negotiate that the car or bus will move without them securely in their own seat. DO NOT GO ANYWHERE until and unless they remain quiet, calm, and still. This same kind of cue routine will apply to helping them get out of their seat when it is time to go too.It helps to give them a kind of “where we will go next” visual cue. Then, exit and a do quick bit of work to “put my things away,” to get the next “where to play” motivational area cue, welcoming them into that new location, and easing transition obstacles. For more aware verbal folks, who may still have trouble with changes, a business or baseball card holder trip book with rows of WHERE location cards and WHAT to do postit notes next to them are easy to use and change as we may need. Dry erase boards also work great,if riders will follow a flexible list, and not mess with it.
We can make “NO WAY” trips end with “WAY TO GO!”

(see the Teeth Brushing & Dental Care Link).

Note: these articles were originally published with the author's permission in the The Net Journal of the Autism Society of Oregon. Winter 2004 Issue. Sharone Lee, Editor and Author. They have been returned to their home at Threshold, but have been kept in our public access pages for all our parent's use.

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