New situation problems.

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

My son is six years old, and was diagnosed with autism at three. He's verbal, and fairly communicative, at least of his wants and needs.

Our trouble with him is the following: anytime he's presented with new authority figures, or new classes, school type situation, following directions, etc., he seems to go crazy.

A few examples:

It took about a month for him to settle down at school this year, first grade, after three years of going to pre-school, and kindergarten last year.

He won't sit at his desk, etc., or in other words, he won't do all the things he already knows how to do, but only at first. Eventually, he settles down.

The problem manifests itself like it did today, when my wife took him for the first time to a theraputic playgroup type setting, and when told to sit in a circle, he laid on the floor in the middle of the circle. Then he ran around the circle, making some sort of nonsense chirping noise. My wife was observing him, and he couldn't see her. And all of these behaviors are things he'd never try with my wife or myself. Again, he's capable of participating, but there's something about a new situation or new people that throws him off. Has anyone had this variation on the theme? How did you get your child to adhere to the proper behavior in a situation where you weren't present?

Thanks,