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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

aaarggghhhhhh!

18 replies

loueytb3 · 25/03/2011 21:23

I am going to kill DS1 (ASD). He has discovered he can reach the light switch in his bedroom. Cue hours of him switching it on and causing mayhem, keeping awake DS2 in the process. I put him to bed at 7pm tonight and he's still going. I've made a PEC of the light switch with a red cross over it and he knows that means not to turn it on but is ignoring it and laughing at us everytime we go up to turn it off and put him back to bed. Last night he (eventually) crashed with the light still on but he's getting more and more tired and the behaviour gets worse the more tired he is.

What do we do??

OP posts:

sneezecakesmum · 25/03/2011 21:31

Take the light bulb out. ONLY if its a ceiling light - bound to put his finger in a lamp socket - I did as a kid and got electrocuted!

1980Sport · 25/03/2011 21:33

Would taking the bulb out work? My two are still babies and I have no experience of ASD, so apologies if this is a silly idea!

1980Sport · 25/03/2011 21:33

X-post

Original poster

loueytb3 · 25/03/2011 21:34

Thought of that but they are spotlights, would mean taking out 8 lights. Also, that isn't going to sort it out long term. I don't want it to be a problem everytime we go somewhere new (gparents, holiday etc)

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1980Sport · 25/03/2011 21:38

If you took them out for a week or so would he forget about it or remember as soon as you put them back in?

sneezecakesmum · 25/03/2011 21:43

Maybe an ASD mum will be able to advise on behavioural strategies like star charts, rewards, bribes? for the long term. Its really what works for your child, and no, I dont mean murder!
Or it may be just a case of 'pick your battles' and this one has an easy solution - even though its 8 spotlights! maybe if you do this he will have forgotten the game when he goes to gps?

5inthebed · 25/03/2011 21:44

If you can't take the bulbs out, then give him a torch that he can press the lights on and off with. We id this with DS2 and it worked.

Original poster

loueytb3 · 25/03/2011 21:57

1980 - he would remember I think. He's quite bright in some ways

Star/reward charts currently have no effect whatsoever. Bribes dont seem to either. The torch idea might be a good one, would be less disruptive to DS2.

He's finally gone quiet, it's only taken 3 hours

OP posts:

1980Sport · 25/03/2011 22:07

Nightmare! The torch sounds good and hopefully others will be along with a few more ideas to try out!

intothewest · 25/03/2011 22:34

My ds started to do this - We just had to be firm and keep turning them back on (or off) It drove us mad for a couple of weeks and there were a lot of semi meltdowns,but he is doing it less now-was manic last week

I didn't want to give him a distraction toy as that would become the new thing to be obsessed about !!

beautifulgirls · 26/03/2011 10:09

Can you flick the fuse switch for the lights that include the bedroom - might be possible if still leaves you other lights on in the house? No worry about missing bulbs and open sockets then.

davidsotherhalf · 26/03/2011 10:34

doe's ds like rewards? put a pici of a reward he's working for by the switch for not turning light on and off. sit with him and talk about a small reward could be baking with mum or playing lego and find a pici to go with it but only use this reward for the 1 problem your trying to solve. remember talk about the reward before bed get excited about his reward. ie i can't wait for you to get your reward i really love baking with you etc, sorry if this sounds silly but worked for us with ds with asd

moosemama · 26/03/2011 11:39

Had a quick google.

Looks like what you really need is one of these but can't find them in the UK.

Would one of these be any use?

IndigoBell · 26/03/2011 13:23

You can just buy a light switch from Wickes or wherever for under a pound, and he can spend all day switching it off and on - it will still make the noise he likes, without being so annoying for you and DS2.

Otherwise just get insulating tape and tape the light switch off so that he can't turn it on. (And use a torch or something else to light the room.)

Original poster

loueytb3 · 26/03/2011 14:04

So the little bugger darling came into our bedroom this morning, handed me the PEC and said, don't touch the light. He totally understands what it means, he just doesn't care.

Indigo - Its not the noise I think, its the fact that the light goes on and he can see to play/read/annoy DS2. He doesn't turn it on and off IYSWIM, it just stays on. I'm going to try to get hold of some epsom salts this afternoon to see if that helps him calm down.

Tape might work, at least for long enough for him to get bored and give up

Thought about turning the fuse off but we wouldn't have the monitor if we did that and that is a problem because we can't trust him and we can't hear them from downstairs (bedroom is a long way away and our house is pretty well sound proofed).

Rewards have to be instant for him to "get it", and at the time of the night, he is not going to get chocolate/DS/Wii or whatever he wants, it would only happen the next morning and that's too long for him to understand.

moosemama - I will do some more searching and see if I can find a UK source, they are good ideas, thanks.

Keep the suggestions coming. Fortunately (for me) I'm out tonight so DH has got to deal with it and we've got a birthday party in a couple of hours so he's going to be very wound up....

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shazian · 26/03/2011 20:02

Sympathise with you. My 10yo ds does this too, with every light in the house constant! As for his room we take ceiling light bulb out every single night, though fortunate i only have 1 light to remove.

beautifulgirls · 26/03/2011 20:06

Ok, what about a dud light bulb in there for the safety of stopping him putting fingers in the socket? At least when he switches it the light will not come on then. The only problem to solve then is where to get a dud light bulb from! Hopefully not too far off time wise in being an option if you talk to family and friends and it is a standard light fitting. Someone you know will be changing a dud bulb sooner or later.

Original poster

loueytb3 · 27/03/2011 20:37

update - sellotape over the light switch works remarkably well and has the added bonus of being easy to use whereever we go. The howl of frustration when he realised he couldn't switch it on was very satisfying . He then however moved onto the monitor which has a light on it. That is now on the landing where he can't reach it (as there is a gate on their door). Last night he still caused havoc (in pitch dark) for 1.5 hrs but it is an improvement on previous nights and he slept for 12 hrs which means at least he is catching up some sleep.

shazian - I am keeping my fingers crossed that its just another phase, but it sounds from your experience that might not be...

When he realises that he can get over the gate we are totally screwed.

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