h Children with autism often have a very low tolerance of frustration.

h Disruptive behaviour may be a way of communicating their frustration if they are unable to complete a difficult task.

h Children with autism do not appear to understand that other people may be able to help them. They may continue to struggle with a difficult task until they reach the very end of their tolerance level. (See also Developing Skills > Learning to ask for help)

h Children with autism may find social situations unpredictable and frightening. They lack the verbal skills to express their emotions and may experience a ‘meltdown’ as they struggle to cope with the situation.

h Aggression can be triggered by an extreme sensitivity to certain sounds, smells or sensations. This may be something that adults do not even notice, eg. noise from a hand dryer in the bathroom, or the flickering of a flourescent light.

h Aggression may be used by the child with autism to avoid something he doesn’t want to do.

h Aggression may be used to gain attention. If the response to a behaviour causes great fuss and excitement the behaviour may become entrenched – a hard habit to break.

h Children with autism find it hard to understand the need to share and take turns, which may result in a tantrum or ‘hitting out’ at others.

h Short, intense outbursts of rage and aggression may be associated with epileptic seizures.

h Remain calm and remind yourself the behaviour is an attempt at communication.

h Simplify or modify an activity if it seems too difficult for William.

h It is important that activities match William’s developmental ability. He may become quite upset and abandon a task completely if he fails. Make lots of reassuring comments. Children with autism seem to need more reassurance than usual.

h Teach William a standard phrase or signal to use when he needs help.

h Provide William with a safe place for ‘timeout’ when he is feeling overloaded.

h Consult William’s occupational therapist if he appears to have sensory problems. Ear plugs to filter out excessive noise may be helpful.

h If aggressive behaviour occurs in order to avoid a task, eg. pack away blocks, tell William firmly "No hitting" and calmly remove him from the situation for a few minutes. Do not look at him or give him any attention during this time. Bring William back to finish the job, using your hand over his if necessary. Give lots of praise when the job is completed.

h If the behaviour is attention seeking, attend to William with a firm, no-fuss approach. Take him to a quiet place for a few minutes until he is calm. Ensure other staff and adults know to deal with the behaviour in the same manner.

h It may take some time for William to understand the social rules of sharing and turn-taking. While progress may be slow, these skills should be practised frequently from a young age.

h Discuss with William’s parents as to whether a medical review is warranted to rule out epileptic seizures. Seizures are common in children with an autistic disorder and can appear at any age.