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SN children

Paperclips in the socket

12 replies

buildingmycorestrength · 06/05/2013 10:12

Hi, have posted before about my probably Aspergers son, 8. He is in the process of getting a diagnosis and has been referred for OT, PT and so on.

This morning it became clear that he stuck paperclips in the socket to make a circuit.

'The switch was off, Mummy!'

I just about wept. I thought we were well past that. Have only let him plug in radios and lamps just in the last few months because I hadn't trusted him til now, He clearly didn't really understand why I was upset.

My husband, probably also on the spectrum, says all little boys do this kind of thing. I kind of see what he means but also don't agree...he has a tendency to minimise things he doesn't like or want to confront.

Have been considering applying for DLA but my feeling is that this sort of thing is evidence, is that right? I intend to use the Cerebra guidelines. Maybe even tonight.

It just suddenly feels urgent to me that my situation is recognised somehow. This isn't normal and we need help and support!

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PolterGoose · 06/05/2013 11:41

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buildingmycorestrength · 06/05/2013 11:49

Thank you so much for replying.

He hasn't hurt himself, that is the main thing, obviously. And good to know he probably wouldn't have, thank you. But the lack of sense is just astonishing sometimes, and we have it a lot. A real problem with impulse control, fiddling, breaking stuff because he just is 'playing' with it, I'm sure I don't need to go on. I guess I didn't see this coming.

And he already HAS a special kit for making 'circuits', one of those Brain Box kits. Why on earth wouldn't he use that? I find it so hard not being able to understand him, not understanding why he can't just learn and do as he's told, things he says he understands but which obviously don't get through to the bit of the brain that actually does stuff!

I will apply for DLA, yes. I just sort of foresee the implications of his lack of common sense, and it terrifies me.

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MareeyaDolores · 07/05/2013 00:24

Is it worth explaining (or getting an electrician to explain) the difference between high voltage and low voltage systems, and how things like transformers work? 'It's dangerous, dont touch' (subtext or mum will be cross) only really works for dc who are motivated by social reinforcers. Certainly for ds1, and ds2... only understanding danger persuades them to avoid it.

He sounds like a smart cookie. His little kit is (presumably) a DC circuit: I'm wondering if he was trying to figure out the workings of an AC system, and so decided to use the mains Hmm.

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buildingmycorestrength · 08/05/2013 09:16

Thank you. No energy to reply properly but appreciate it.

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ouryve · 08/05/2013 10:01

We've always found a few carefully selected stories or images off the Internet useful for getting dangers across to ds1. We can tell him what the risks are until we are blue in the face but he can't conceptualise it, unless we can say "this child in hospital, unconscious, with tubes sticking out got run over by a car" or "this is what a severe burn looks like and that could happen to you if you mess about with the oven". It sounds gruesome, but obviously you have to pre-screen the material.

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buildingmycorestrength · 09/05/2013 21:42

www.juniorcitizen.org.uk/kids/electricalsafety/electricalsafety.php

He has just had a go on this site and we had a talk. Did not refer to the incident as I think he joined the dots himself.

Quite a good jumping off point for discussing safety.

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sneezecakesmum · 10/05/2013 11:29

socket safety

This explains it all clearly so hopefully one less thing to worry about.

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buildingmycorestrength · 10/05/2013 14:36

Thank you. I do genuinely realise that it was vanishingly unlikely that he could have hurt himself thanks so great safety standards in the UK, and thank you for continued reassurance.

The main problem, which both my husband and I see, is that my son is really very bright and thinks he knows best. We explain things to him a lot (exhausting though it is) and he is so enthusiastic and passionate about learning.

This is great, of course, and I'm mostly delighted Confused that he wants to know so much about the world we live in.

BUT. This desire to know is problematic. He takes things apart all the time, is always testing things out, and is quite oblivious to attempts to say that 'we just don't do that, and you don't always need to know why'. I mean, we do say that, and enforce it, but it is overridden easily in his mind by a sort of 'but is so interesting!' attitude.

He is a little scientist and this episode was just a worrying reminder that it wouldn't take much for him to decide that something dangerous is a good experiment, and that could have dire consequences.

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PolterGoose · 10/05/2013 16:24

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PolterGoose · 10/05/2013 16:27

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buildingmycorestrength · 10/05/2013 18:14

My husband is teaching him programming already, and he has his own 'business' making cards. There literally aren't enough hours in the day to satisfy him! He actually says this, that there are so many things he wants to do and he just can't seem to 'get on'.

Thank you for the ideas though, I think a trip to Maplin's is in order...move him on from the easy stuff...

Another problem is that I know jack about this stuff...Grin but his dad is helpful and keen to teach him so that is good.

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buildingmycorestrength · 10/05/2013 18:15

And yes to finding him some stuff to take apart!

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