Janylaw

Hi everyone,

I am a fairly seasoned parent of a 7 yr old with autism, but my son continually challenges. Right now we are in the early stages of a new, scary behavior that requires immediate snuffing out. Morgan is verbal (though apraxic) and very active, never staying with an activity long, unless it is one of his few preferred activities (right now one is writing the word 'sponge' over and over, bigger and bigger, spanning several sheets of paper) He is very independent in all the wrong things - like trying to cook. In the past it was without the burners (electric) off, but recently he figured out the diagram for the burner placement. He is now placing items on the burners causing them to either melt on the burner or catch fire. Last night it was a plastic toy which filled the house with a noxious thick smoke. He is quite aware that it is an undesireable activity, because before he placed the item on the burner, he locked me out of the room. He unlocked the door, but only after doing what he wanted.

A little history about him. He was diagnosed at 3 and has had a plethora of interventions, including ABA, AIT, gluten/casein free, etc. He got to a point in ABA when he just wouldn't sit still for anymore table drills. We still use many of the principles, however. I was hoping to use the floor time approach favored by Greenspan and have training in the Son-Rise Options institute program. I am torn between the freedom allowed for in both of these, allowing the child to lead and using play activities to make behavior changes. However, Morgan is used to the structure of PEC's as in the TEACH model used at school. So in some ways, continuing with structure fits with what is used at school.

My first query is - has anyone had to deal with their child burning things and if so, how did you squelch the behavior. Second your thoughts on structure vs. play therapy or floor time. I don't have the resources to scour the earth for enough volunteers/workers to staff a full Son-Rise program and cannot run a full time program alone. So, he has to remain in the school system. Any advice on the first query would be appreciated.