Need ASD advice please.

[spursmum]

My darling ds (almost 4) has started stealing food. I caught him stealing chocolate biscuits earlier and I mean sneaking the biscuits out of the fridge, hiding in his room so I couldn't hear him and hiding the wrappers in the bin. Ive caught him doing before and i don't know how to make him stop without resorting to locking food away.
I didn't know that he had the capacity for this as his ASD includes learning difficulties, speech delays and possible development delays.
How do I stop this before it escalates?

Big shamelessly needy bump!!

He had a CARS assessment the other week and his receptive language is around 18-24 months. He still needs things said to him in short 3-4 word sentences.

DS does this and I am afraid we just ahd to stop keeping things he would want where he could access them, and also I should warn but don't want to- it escalated to shoplifting sweets too, an even bigger problem.

So if anyone has any great ideas...

oh dear. dd2 has broken through the barriers in the kitchen before now to raid the fridge/cupboards. she pulls chairs up to climb on the side into the top cupboards. i am lucky in some way that she no longer will eat most snacks and goes straight to the sausages. but she doesnt hide the wrpappings, she willingly admits she has done it. so no idea really.

big bolt on the kitchen door?

I agree, I would either not have the stuff around or put it where he can't get it. If you do that then he'll have to learn to ask for them! Take pictures of the things or bits of wrapper if you don't have PECs symbols and see if he will ask.

We have the same problem but keeping them away from ds1 is getting harder (especially as my kitchen is literally falling to pieces). It is the best way though.

He is getting really good with his PECS symbols but he starts pinching things after I tell him that he can't have things. I give him good reasons why he can't have it( as best I can in his limited understanding)eg dinner soon, lunch finished etc but he will still pinch it.
My kitchen isn't really designed well to put things out of the way so it may result in locking the kitchen door. Don't want to but He has to learn that he can't just take things.
Thanks for all the advice.

A small bolt right at the top costs pennies, looks unobtrusive and stops them locking themselves in... a lifesaver!