Ds1 and executive functioning.

[LeChien]

Ds1 (14) has struggled with school since he was 5. He looks perfectly happy, but feels bullied.
In lessons he is (I imagine) very annoying, will try to be a joker, but comes across as an idiot (I've been told this in so many ways by a few of his teachers).
He has some AS traits, but this is something we haven't really acknowledged as we are struggling to get anywhere with ds2 who has more traits (iyswim), but we try to be understanding of him and have ways to help him at home.

I read this, about executive functioning and have found that pretty much all of it (apart from the inhibition section) applies to ds1.
Is this typical teenage behaviour and struggles, and learning these are part of growing up? Or does this indicate that there's something that we're missing?

If typical, how do we help him learn them so he can cope better in school.
If not typical, what can we do to help?

Thank you.

Thank you I'll have a look at that.

I've read that link and pretty much all of it applies to DS2 (13) too. He was assessed for ASD but he was felt to be too sociable to be given a diagnosis, so they categorised his difficuties as Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) instead.

For him, the motor difficulties (cutlery, writing, coming down stairs etc) aren't the main problems in his life. It's the planning/organisation/following instructions/inability to cope with any change etc which are the most challenging. I can see that this document calls this "executive function" but I've not heard this expression before.

Things that help him are:

1. Having a programmable watch which has timed reminders on it to e.g. hand in homework, go to see a TA, eat lunch etc.

2.Written lists of instructions e.g. he still uses a written list when having a bath, otherwise he wouldn't remember all the stages required.

1. Getting the teachers to email me all his homework, so he doesn't get into trouble for not writing it down properly/ not remembering to do it etc

1. DS2 still has a tendency to play the class joker (because it's easier to pretend you were making a joke, rather than admitting you made a mistake). Fortunately, he's now in a school where there are a lot of nerdy kids, so he doesn't stand out as much as he did at primary school; so that tendency has lessened.

1. Having LOADS of written rules and expectations. Constantly reminding DS2 of the rules before we go anywhere/do anything. I'm sure you do that too!

1. Loads and loads of patience from me and his teachers. Having a diagnosis and an IEP means that he is given more leeway than other children would be.

Sorry, this has become a bit of an essay! Didn't mean to go on so much.