Autisim

Is it possible that a child with Asperberger's curses like a sailor under the following circumstances;
a) anytime a change to schedule or routine occurs
b) when given assignments such as in a classroom
c) never in front of a parent

[Rachel Thompson, Ph.D., BCBA]

Yes, children often learn to perform differently in different situations. A child who swears under some conditions may not swear in front of a parent because (a) the parent does not present the situations that often result in swearing, or (b) the parent has a different manner of responding to problem behavior. The good news is that this pattern of behavior can provide some clues about how to reduce the swearing. For example, adults should probably (a) follow through with assignments and routine changes even when the child has a negative reaction, (b) consider whether the assignments are well matched to the child's skill level, (c) try to decrease the unpleasantness of routine changes and assignments by, for example, providing choices between tasks, embedding preffered activities within tasks or difficult transitions, or providing rewards for compliance.