Following the Directions for Autistic Kids

Aren't you aware that most autistic kids are having a hard time following the directions? The research states that most autistic kids are able to do at least one or two directions at a time.

Starting out with one simple directions such as "Sit down," "Give to Mommy/Daddy,” “Put on,” “Clean up,” “Give Mommy/Daddy a kiss” are the best way to start off as soon as you discovered a child is autism. Well three years ago, I discovered my younger son, who was diagnosed as Pervasive Developmental Disorder known as PPD-NOS. It took me a few days to shake my grievous emotions after I learned this tragic news. While taking it so hard for years, I still put my feelings asides and worked with Ryan on everything from simple vocabulary words including speech to following the directions.

Following the directions is one of my lists because I know it is extremely difficult for most autistic kids. Also, I know it is extremely important for the kids to be involved in education at home, not just leaving it to the teachers and speech therapist responsibilities. We all have to remember that most children goes to school only for six hours while they spend eighteen hours at home. Thus if I am also a part of a team as a parent besides of being as a teacher, my son will do FAR MUCH BETTER and meet most IEP benchmarks than letting the staff work with them alone. That definitely makes differences! Working on following the directions is one of my destinations because I know many classes and activities are involved more than one direction at a time.

Like I said I found it out that Ryan has autism when he was three, I started out with one simple direction. It took me a while to get him more than one direction. Just last year, he started out with two directions. As of right now, he is able to do two and three directions.

Just most recently, the speech therapist at his school site told me that he is learning to use, "First, Next, Then and Last" along with three other girls who also attended speech therapy. His speech therapist happens to know signs. Ryan was stunned and watched him signing, "First, Next, Then and Last" while listening him talking with him and the girls at the sessions. Right after this, he immediately understood the meanings of these transition words. He did well on following the directions during the speech sessions.

After the speech session, his speech therapist told me what happened. I started giving him more than two directions. For instance from last Sunday, I have asked him to do a favor for me, " Ryan, will you 'please go out' and 'take this empty plastic box in the blue trash can' and 'the white bag in a black trash can?" He obeyed my requests. After he finished dropping the items in the trash cans, I just went outside and checked it out if he did follow my three directions. Yippie, he sure did!

Just this evening at the "breakfast" dinner table, he gave me the directions on how to put the stuff on his toasted bread. Ryan said to me, "First, you need to put the butter on it. Next, you need to put honey on a butter. Then,you put the cinnamon sugar on the top of the bread." It was NOT my idea to put the cinnamon on the top of the honey with butter on it. He loved it.

But I must admit I am proud of him that he is gradually doing the two and three directions at a time despite of what people had said negatively things about him. All I can say to myself, "One at a time will do."