Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t posted any thing new about Autism since August 2019. Well, as I’m writing this we are dealing with a very serious issue that has affected the world.
First I will share how Landon has been handling this situation. In the beginning of March not so well, now it’s April and we finally got things calmed down enough around the house that I went back to scheduling his day.
First I’ll explain what he did during the beginning of everything changing. Landon is extremely smart and if he wants something, he will figure out how to get it. In this case, he wanted games for his Iphone and Netflix. Les started working from home due to the new laws in place and totally forgot about his wallet being left out. This gave Landon the opportunity to purchase several games and create a Netflix account. It took us another week to cancel and get credit for everything he had done. Unfortunately, this limited him having any technology without supervision.
So, how do you explain an abstract concept to a person with Autism?
Landon does watch a lot of news and we have explained to him as brief as possible about that due to the virus he can no longer go to STEP. He still thinks that on a certain day in the future he will be able to return. We have had many conversations that this will not happen.
What I have done in the mean time is to get him to do the things he use to do at STEP. He has computer lab at college, so after breakfast he has computer lab on his lap top, then we read a story, and I provide him his Supportive Employment of Card Making. Providing the things he enjoyed has helped.
Back to the question….but how do you explain this concept to a person with Autism. Here is resource that I have found that may help.
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-qandas-answers-to-7-questions-your-kids-may-have-about-the-pandemic-133576
While this may help here are my thoughts:
I explain to Landon that The Virus will make him sick. To stay healthy, we need to stay home as much as possible, we need to wash our hands, when we are in public we need to stay away from others. I also preteach to please not touch anyone or shake their hand. He is extremely sociable and friendly so he doesn’t quite get that concept but we are working on it.
Landon has poor hygiene so I keep him at all as much as possible. He does assist with us going to drop off our trash, but I will not bring him to the grocery store or to public places if I can help it.
