why oh why do I never learn?

[gess]

I told ds1 at 1pm that his tutor (who he hasn't see for over a week) will be in later to see him. He has screamed, cried, hit himself and shouted non-stop since then. because he wants her here NOW, not later, NOW. I ALWAYS do this say' oh later we'll go to.... x" then he cries non stop and tries to drag me out of the door until we get to the time to leave.

Ds used to be able to stand up with his 'normal' buggy but I don't think there is any way he could do it with his Major. For a start the foot platform comes out quite a long way, I'm not sure I could even reach my legs past that if I was sitting in it. I suppose he might be able to do it eventually but not for a good few years yet and I don't plan on needing it by then! I find the main problem is making sure he can't get his legs up against anything and push himself over backwards because they do tip quite easily those Majors.

I'm working hard on using the buggy as little as possible and things are improving, (we can now make it to the newsagents and back on foot in about half an hour, a year ago it could easily take three times that. And ds loves visiting the postbox) but I couldn't manage to be completely without it yet. Ds still alternates between running off in the wrong direction or lying on the floor, especially if there are a lot of people around. Also he is obsessive about stepping on every drain cover, will try to touch cars the same colour as ours even if they are moving and has no sense of danger whatsoever. He won't hold hands or wear a wriststrap so I have to be very vigilant and be hovering, ready to grab if necessary. It's quite exhausting. Honestly, as far as I'm concerned that buggy is worth its weight in gold! Luckily dh has never minded it but then as I'm the one who has to cope with ds most of the time I'm not sure he'd have got much of a say anyway.

Unless he had a better suggestion that is! (I'm not really that bossy ).

That's what we've done electra- but it only works very shakily and for a short time, and not at all out and about. I think his compulsions to look at new things are just way to strong when we're out and about.

I do wonder about the major- but I really wouldn't want him to be in one as a teen iyswim. If he'd always had a buggy and we were slowly decreasing it but still using it when need be it would be fine, but we haven't had one at all since he was 4 so it seems a bit of a backwards step for him at 8 to go in it (if he would- I don't even know if he would and they're pricey to try iykwim). OUr ds' do sound quite similar but I wonder if ds1 would accept it after such a break. He will wear a waist strap (not wrist) which I use if we're going somewhere it would be dangerous for him to slip away.

I'm writing an essay on self-control at the moment Gess and have just read an article on using a progressive delay schedule of reinforcemnet to increase self control and decrease disruptive behaviour in childen with autism.

You may like to check it out (and see where it leads you)It's not long.
Dixon & Cummings (2001) JABA Volume 34 pp. 491-495

On t'Internet obviously.
All Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis (our bible) articles there. It's fab.

DS is nearly 12 and waiting is still one of his worst areas. I have just emailed his ABA consultant at school to put it on the next set of targets (again). I think its less of a problem at school as they use a good token system. I'm just not up to a token system at home at the moment and I think it would make the school one less effective anyway.
DS used to go mad if we drove past certain places like the swimming pool, and I would have to divert. Ditto going anywhere along the route to trampolining. But, good news for you all I hope, he is much better and I don't worry about it at all now.
With walking on the road the things that I think worked for us were a) ABA conditioning especially "come here" program b) insisting he holds hands only to cross the road and reinforcing him for doing so. Trying to get him to hold hands all the way along a route just became counter-productive and caused a lot of trouble.
Don't know if any of this helps.......!!

V helpful- the 'come here' program is the one we're going for. (with a big field and people who can run fast). Glad to know it worked with you- you know I think ds1 and your ds are similar

Well, our "come here" program was simply to come across the room to the chair...... so we didn't start off outside or anywhere difficult. As Moondog says, maybe you should start small, really just coming from one part of a room to another with R++++

He'll do that inside. outside is just a whole different ballgame. He's feral outside the house.