No concept of time!! help!

[feelinchirpier]

Ok could anybody suggest ways that I can reduce the time taken by my son to perform daily activities eg. getting dressed, having a wash, etc. We have hit a brick wall...tried everything visual timetables, small credit card sized visual prompts, watch, digital clock, egg timers, writing steps on his blackboard in his room, verbal steps, putting his clothes etc out in the order he likes to dress.....but it just doesn't seem to help it took him 50 minutes to get dressed this morning (clothes ready in his room) so we were late for school again. And this isn't even including the extras he should be doing eg making his bed, opening his curtains etc.

I am at my blooming wits end its as though I constantly have to be asking have you done this yet?...have you done that yet? I don't want to tell him over and over that he will be late as he will get very anxious.

All I can say is you're not alone! My 12y ds is completely time unaware and I have tried all the same ideas as you. Small visual prompts in the form of post-its just go unnoticed so we stopped that. A larger blackboard is still in use but for more of a list of what to remember. He has four different clocks in his room of varying styles, but won't know what time he woke up etc. So frustrating! I'm afraid the only thing that works is a constant running commentary, but a patient (hard as that is) and matter-of-fact one.

I find routine helps, but to work it has to be quite rigid so he spends less time thinking what he has to do next. Emphasizing how late he his is counter-productive as he flaps under pressure going blank as to what he needs to do next. He usually gets out on time... and on a good day the bed is made and the curtain's drawn. On a bad day he eats toast on route and I try and stay calm!

He has recently been flagged by his school as dyspraxic and time management is apparently a common problem/symptom.

Not much help I know, but I empathize.:)

Thanks Lady, My DS flaps. Originally we thought he was playing with toys etc (because we could hear him banging)when it was taking him so long so we would just keep calling upstairs to him still took over an hour, but after sneaking up one day I found him in the middle of the room just jumping and flapping completly naked .

I have come across one more idea which I will start this weekend....to use a stop watch for everyday things like trip to the shop then chat to Ds and point out the time would be similar to eg. having a bath..I can't see this working tbh but will have a crack all the same "you never know" :)

One of the many things he has told me is he can't stop inventing in his head...he thinks in movies?? Now just need to get some intervals in there too! :)

I have just given up and we move at ds pace, he is normally late for school we are late for everything, but its easier than making him speed up and having a meltdown, not much help sorry!