Does anyone have experience using the Explosive Child (Ross Greene) methods on a child with challenging autism, and does it work?
I’m asking for my sister who is open to new methods, and because I see her 8 year old autistic son a lot and sometimes have him by myself during summer holidays. But also he’s at special school, having lots of therapies, so I don’t want to add in anything that’s too confusing.
Scenarios:
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Let’s come off the video game in 5 minutes and do some art/go for a walk/go for a bike ride.
Child: ignores and then when told again screams ‘NO!’ Carries on gaming.
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We’ll have wholemeal bread for sandwiches today.
Child: No! White bread! Pushes wholemeal bread out of adult’s hand. Pushes adult out of the way to grab white bread from freezer. Puts it in toaster.
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You can’t have the ice-cream. You’ve had one already today.
Child: takes it anyway. When told ‘no’ again, shouts and swears and takes ice-cream to bedroom, slams door.
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We’re not going to your favourite restaurant chain today. We’ll try another.
Child: refuses to eat even menu items that usually deals with. Climbs under table/bench. Re-emerges for ice cream!
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You can game all day and eat all the crap you want.
Child: calm mostly but doesn’t sleep enough or go for a poo! Wets bed because constipation. Or given melatonin and pooing medicine. Rest of family inc 2 other siblings don’t get to go out as a group (sigh).
As you can imagine, hard to know what’s autism, what’s a result of being treated permissively for fear of tantrums, what’s ‘gaming addiction’ and what’s workable under Explosive Child theory.
I’ve used EC methods with my own children to very good effect, but never with a kid like my nephew. Any tips/advice gratefully received.