Re: OT: OCD Behavior - What to do?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/25/2004 10:10:45 AM Eastern Standard Time,

tsas@... writes:

> Any ideas on how to deal with this? Do I allow the line up or do I

> force some variety?

>

Stanley Greenspan has written a lot on how to deal with this. Take a look at

" The Child With Special Needs " .

Nell

[Guest guest]

,

There is a book by Stanley Greenspan about or titled Floor Time and he gives

parents many steps and ideas to do at home to tackle this and other behaviors.

You could probably check it out at the library and I'm sure you could find it at

all book stores. Good luck. KIM

OT: OCD Behavior - What to do?

My 6 yo ASD son started lining things up for the first time ever

about 6 weeks ago. It started with just a few items in a certain spot

and has grown progressively worse? Now if an item he has placed in a

spot is moved he has a major meltdown.

Any ideas on how to deal with this? Do I allow the line up or do I

force some variety?

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

in Tampa

Mother to , 6 yo, ASD and NT twin sister

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[Guest guest]

I remember with I didn't think he was autistic because he didn't

line things up and he was very affectionate....

He started lining things up when he was about 5 1/2... He lined everything

up: cars, figures, pencils, instruments...He melts down when we move things

too. For , it's worse when he's got yeast. I haven't found a magic

cure.

I think the question re: to stop or not to stop is an important one. I

ALWAYS point it out: " Oh, you're lining things up, huh, ? " He says

" Yes. " He might even say to me, " I'm lining things up! "

Sometimes it seems stress related. OCD behaviors can be related to stress

and increase when one is stressed. So if he's just gotten home from school

or something, I might let him line up for a little while.

It also depends WHAT he is lining up. If he's lining up cars, it doesn't

bother me so much as when he takes all the condiments out of the cupboard!!!

He is no longer allowed to line up things like condiments, cleaning

supplies, or things from the medicine chest (you can tell we have had issues

with this). I discovered he was pretending the condiments were " Mr. '

Neighborhood, " and helped him find toys to serve this purpose.

In case you haven't had a chance to read Greenspan yet, he talks about ways

to interrupt the lining up by gently joining in and finding ways to bring in

change to the sameness. So maybe bring another car into play to cross his

line of cars, or to nudge them, or ask to join them. This is hard at first,

but has gotten used to it.

I guess I try to look at the FUNCTION lining up has. Sometimes it is

pretend play (like the Neighborhood). Sometimes it is a tableau (like the

Nativity figures). Sometimes it is downright artistic (vs autistic) and I

wish I had taken a picture of it - it would make a great coffee table book.

Unfortunately the rest of my house is such a mess I could never publish

it!!!! Other times it seems to be clearly OCD and purposeless. In those

circumstances, I try to redirect. But I always point out the behavior.

BTW, we find that pointing out all behaviors that might draw attention to

him is a good idea. This includes noises, ignoring us when we're talking,

standing on his head on the couch, etc. As he gets older, we hope that he

can identify the things that are soothing to him and also know that they

make him look different....He can choose whether he wants to do it in public

or privately...

This was very quickly written...I hope it makes sense! Blessings on you as

you try to figure it out. Please share if something you do is particularly

helpful!!! We are obviously still working on this : )

, mom to and

OT: OCD Behavior - What to do?

> My 6 yo ASD son started lining things up for the first time ever

> about 6 weeks ago. It started with just a few items in a certain spot

> and has grown progressively worse? Now if an item he has placed in a

> spot is moved he has a major meltdown.

>

> Any ideas on how to deal with this? Do I allow the line up or do I

> force some variety?

>

> Thanks for any ideas you may have.

>

> in Tampa

> Mother to , 6 yo, ASD and NT twin sister

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> My 6 yo ASD son started lining things up for the first time ever

> about 6 weeks ago. It started with just a few items in a certain spot

> and has grown progressively worse? Now if an item he has placed in a

> spot is moved he has a major meltdown.

For my son, lining up objects is not OCD, it is a visual stim.

What happened about 6 weeks ago that was different? Did you add a new

supplement, remove something, etc?

Yeast would also do this for my son.

> Any ideas on how to deal with this? Do I allow the line up or do I

> force some variety?

While I looked for the cause of the lines, I would allow the lines,

but I would not allow the meltdown if something was moved. I made my

son move the lines himself. For example, if he lined up his cars

along his dresser, I made HIM put them away when it was time for bed.

If someone else moved the items and he had a meltdown, I sent him to

bed until he was quiet. Then when he was quiet, HE was required to

put the line of objects away.

Good luck.

Dana

[Guest guest]

Look at yeast issues. We treat the yeast and the lining up goes away for us.

Carla

OT: OCD Behavior - What to do?

My 6 yo ASD son started lining things up for the first time ever

about 6 weeks ago. It started with just a few items in a certain spot

and has grown progressively worse? Now if an item he has placed in a

spot is moved he has a major meltdown.

Any ideas on how to deal with this? Do I allow the line up or do I

force some variety?

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

in Tampa

Mother to , 6 yo, ASD and NT twin sister

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