Helping suspected autistic son to remember basic things

[shushymcshush]

I'm sorry to whinge but we've just had another bleeding meltdown from DS. He does a little bit of school work every day, whilst DH and I are working. He does great work, he's as bright as a button but probably 75% of the time he forgets to save it, (despite two prompts on the e-learning platform). So he closes the screen, then realises and has an almighty strop. Screaming, crying etc. DH had to mute a call because he thought he'd been stung by a wasp or something because of the commotion.

I try so hard to understand, but I don't know why we are having this same issue over and over. He's 9. Why hasn't he learnt this yet to save the work. I can't keep standing over him saying "save your work, save your work" like a taskmaster. Also I'm not sure that will help him in life.

I need some tips or advice please oh wise MNtrs.

Auto save set for 1 min intervals to limit The damage?

if you create a cue to remind him, then that might help. Three possible examples are -

have a written checklist on a pinboard on the wall by where he works?

put a blob of playdough on the corner of the laptop lid, so when he closes the laptop, it won't close fully. then that will remind him that there is something extra to do.

postit note saying 'save your work' on the laptop?

But for any solution, you need to talk to him & help him build a strategy that will work for him.

also, you can tell him that many adults forget to save their work. to fail to save your work is a mistake, but not a big FAILURE. The key is recognising that this is a problem and finding a workaround to deal with it.

Could he do the work in something like word with an auto save then upload?

Thanks for the suggestions all. I like the blob of playdough idea @parietal

I might get him some post it notes (he loooooveees post it notes), maybe some personalised ones or ones with animals on so he feels like they are his. I'll ask him which ones he likes.

TBH when he's doing work on word or publisher its usually fine, DH can find it, fix it, use autosave etc. But some of his school work is on a portal that they use, so it doesn't work quite the same way.

No you can't keep standing over him saying "save your work." but he needs something to remind him to do it.

Could you ask school to put a reminder at the end of the tasks on the school portal? As he has autism this would be a "reasonable adjustment."