First of all, being very consistent is a big help for autistic children. Make sure you have a routine that you follow every single day. Autistic children do not deal well with change. Change throws them off. They become confused and that is when they act out. When things are the same and familiar, your child is much more comfortable.
When you are doing new tasks with your child, like going to the store, explain what you are going to do and what to expect before you do it. This will help your child to know what to expect, and lessen the chance of misbehavior. Also, if you have to change your routine, explain how things will be different and why.
Another big help for autistic children is to be very positive with them. As a general rule, you should praise your child 7 times for every 1 time you have to correct them. Try to pick out even the simplest things to praise if you have to. Once you start doing this, it will become second nature.
It is easy to find positive things to praise your child for. It can be as easy as saying, "Good job putting your shirt on the right way," or "Wow, you ate all your cereal."
You should always use the same wording with an autistic child. The reason is because children who experience autism do not effectively learn from experience. Even though you may have done the same thing several different times, it may seem like a new occurrence for a child with autism. Hearing the same words can be a help for autistic children to form a connection in their mind.
Set up the environment so that the right thing to do is also the easiest thing to do. For example, if you want your child to sit down and eat, make sure that the room is set up with a chair slightly pushed out from the table, inviting them to sit down. Have the food placed where it is the easiest thing to reach, and likewise with the silverware. Have all distractions put away to where it would be more difficult to get them than it would be to simply eat.
Be proactive rather than reactive. Stop misbehavior before they have a chance to happen. Your child will show you warning signs that they always do before they have a behavior. It can be a great help for autistic children if you learn to recognize these signs and you can often stop a behavior before it happens.
If you see your child becoming frustrated, tell them a simple direction, then help them through it. Praise them once you have helped them complete the task. By helping them through it, you are making sure they will be successful. That will usually make them feel good and stop the potential misbehavior.
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