To ask how to deal with this?

[Theanimaldinnerparty]

My daughter who is 9 has ASD. A lot of the time she will refuse to walk if we are out. Sometimes she does a thing where she lies on the floor/drops to the floor. Sometimes she also does a thing where she just runs like really fast that I can't keep up.
How should I deal with this? Because I feel like I've tried everything and don't know how to deal with it.

Anyone?

Does she have an OT? It sounds like she might benefit from a disability buggy / wheelchair. Lots of autistic children use them for refusal to walk / bolting.

Harness? At least it would stop bolting.

@OhWifey

Occupational therapist??

@Iamthedevilinthedetail

I did think about reins (they do make them for older children!!) But felt a bit tight as shes 9.

A social story about walking/safe road side behaviour? You can go over if before/after walking
Small rewards, e.g stickers for walking 'nicely'. Both v child dependent of course!

You could make your own harness so it doesn't look too harnessy. Maybe something with ribbons or glitter to decorate. And then just a strap or fancy leather lead or something to attach to the back. It doesn't have to look like a lead but at least a single line from the back will lessen her chance of tripping.

@Iamthedevilinthedetail

I will have a look at that. How do you make a harness??

@MaidenoftheSpear

I will try it but it probably won't work.

Before the walk lay out your behaviour expectation & describe the reward for meeting it. (Something she values, not something random). Also have you tried "ok, bye then,see you at home" & walked away a little until she stops doing he running or stropping ? Works well with younger children.

Fathers with autism on Facebook videos. They have a daughter with autism. She doesn't seem to be a runner but nearly always wears a cute backpack with a chest strap (think camping backpack) that you could attach a rein to. But that doesn't help with the lying down.

As it attach the rein at the backpack, so it wouldn't be as obvious to others

@forrestgreen

I will have a look at that. But it doesn't help with the lying down.

I was going to suggest checking out Father's with autism as well. Lots of ideas there.
To make a harness, you'd need nylon as used in dog leads so it's strong enough, then look at the designs of children's harnesses and copy them. I'd have thought shoulder straps and a central maybe a nice big piece of a strong material with a picture she likes or a colour she's fond of to join them on to, and of course a waist strap that the shoulder ones attach to. Plus a D ring or two at the back. The weight will be taken by the nylon and the only real thing the front cloth or image will do is spread the force over her body so it isn't all concentrated on her chest or waist.

@Iamthedevilinthedetail

I will have a look at them.

I think I might be able to make that. I was thinking if I was to let her choose the reins online, she might like wearing them?

I don't know your child and I don't know severe the asd is but I would say the more input she can have, the better.

I work with ASD pupils. We have a few strategies to try when they drop
to the floor. We have symbols on us at all times - stand and walk being 2 of them. We give clear verbal instruction with Makaton e.g. it is standing' or 'it is walking' . We stand behind to sit them up and hold hands 'ready, 1, 2, 3, up!' Lifting hands and many will use our hands to then pull themselves up (we do NOT pull them up). Much of them time is getting down to their level and waiting it out really unless it's a dangerous situation. Other pupils we print with Makaton I want e.g. Lucy wants... I'd suggest carrying visuals. For the running, def. experiment with reins on a backpack. If you get a walking rucksack it will have the clips across the chest to stop the child slipping out. Clear expectations and visuals to support the trio so the child knows small steps of what's happening and when it will be finished.

How do people deal with the refusing to walk/lying on the floor/dropping to the floor?

Sorry for typos, hopefully you can get the gist of what I'm saying. Have you asked school what strategies they use? Good luck!

@biscuitcakes

Thank you so much. I will try those ideas.

If you fancy reins and have a haberdashery shop nearby you could drop in and tell them what you want to make and they will have everything you need.
That would be webbing, clips ands and D rings.

Or you could buy a set of toddler reins (the ones that look like a harness) and just make them bigger to fit. The haberdashery shop will know people who do alterations who will do this for you if you can't sew.

Anyone who sews could whip you up a set from scratch in minutes!

@biscuitcakes

She doesn't do it in school as much. Will speak to them again

@Iamthedevilinthedetail

Ok

No. Also - Reins can take a lot of practise. Some children only walk with them if they're slack, others like you to have the reins around your wrist and still hold hands, others like to walk ahead... get on a good ASD parents group! There are lots of visuals on eBay too! Signing Hands in YouTune for Makaton!

@biscuitcakes

Ok, will do. Maybe not reins then. Thank you so much