Best instrument for a child on the Autism Spectrum to learn?

[dontknowwhat2callmyself]

DD has the opportunity to learn an instrument. Her fine motor skills are not that great - at 7 years old she still dislikes writing as she finds it difficult. I was thinking a keyboard might be a good choice of instrument for her to learn. Have any of your children learnt an instrument and how did/is it going!! Thanks

3rd,could I just hijack the thread and ask you,do you make your ds practice a particular piece or scales or such like or do you let him just do what he likes?
I'm very torn between letting him just do what he likes as he enjoys it so much and trying to help him progress.He is very demand avoidant.
I would be interested to hear what others do.

what do you do at the moment disorganisedmummy?

in-school music teachers are very used to children who don't do any practice whatsoever. A child who is play only for enjoyment could be a pleasure for them!

From how you described your child above, the only thing I would impose would be some kind of heavily disguised rhythm exercise - marching/clapping ... anything to build up a sense of working to a beat. Plucking is better than bowing for this but there are two parts to a pluck - the pluck, and then the replacement of the finger on the string. Bowing, I've come to realise, is a terrible way to teach rhythm because there are inherent technical difficulties in wielding a bow at the odd angle violinists use. Shadow bowing would be far better (in fact that's given me an idea for a lesson I have to give tomorrow.....)

Goon,thanks for your reply.To answer your question I don't really do much at the moment which sounds terrible but I have such battles with him with other stuff like homework,getting dressed/undressed and so on that I can't face any more!However that sounds very doable.I sing in a choir so am reasonably musical.I keep wondering about him having extra lessons out of school or go to a music school on a saturday but feel it may be too much for him with the social interaction.It does seem to be his "little thing" if you get me so I'm keen to encourage it as much as possible.I find it very hard to work out if he can't do something because of the dyspraxia and social communication disorder or if he's just being stubborn/defiant.
That sounds awful but I hope you get my meaning.

"That sounds awful but I hope you get my meaning."

It doesn't sound awful to anyone who's lived on this board for years as I have.....

If he's wielding violin and bow, I'd be happy - bugger the scales.
anything he does will increase that crucial muscle memory and finger strength (you can see the strength developing easily - the finger joints stop collapsing and maintain their curved shape even when pressed on the strings - try it yourself, you will see how without practice your little finger collapses, unless you work with your hands for a living)

once he gets to a point of being able to bow to a beat, all those other strengths will become available for use in an orchestra.....

I can understand your reticence about Saturday music school/other lessons, etc. I think you are wise to wait. If the teacher at school is truly interested in adapting to this individual child, then you've struck gold, I wouldn't mess with it, and I'd find an opportunity to express appreciation so she knows that's what's valued in what she does. You will not hold back his musical accomplishments by waiting till he is 9 or 10 for extra/longer lessons. Only a year ago my son cried at the idea of joining orchestra. A year before that and his noise sensitivity would have made the very idea unthinkable......

Goon,we are very lucky as his music teacher adores DS and says he's a pleasure to teach so she does adapt her lessons slightly. He is at a mainstream independent school which is big on pastoral care which works brilliantly for DS. He is chronically low self esteem and confidence because of the dyspraxia and the social comm disorder only adds to his anxiety.
Anyway,I degress! Thanks very much for the advice. I just want him to be happy and so far with his music,he is.