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Autistic 12 year old

I have an Autistic 11 year old brother. He will be 12 in Aug. I am wondering if there are somethings we could do to make things easier for him. He cannot speak. Well he can but we cannot understand him. It is like he has his own language. He also is still in pull-ups. Once upon a time he started forming words more clearly but then he fell out of it. he was also going to the bathroom on his own but lost that to. He getting big and strong and it is becoming harder for us to handle him, and I know he can sometimes tell we are frustrated and that makes him sad.

He is a really smart young boy but things are still difficult. We try talking to him and teaching him words everyday with books and programs on tv. We discovered he loves music so we try with that too but now it seems he is okay with the way he speaks and doesn't think he needs to change it. My mother has health issues and cannot run after him and deal with his tantrums. is there something we can do?

Also he hits his head against the wall or whatever he can when he gets excited or upset. he now has a bruise on his head and we want to find another way for him to deal with his energy. Anything would help thank in advance.
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Avatar universal
Thank you both for this I am thinking this idea will work and help him with some of the frustration of not being able to talk. I will read on this some more and find the best way to do it. thank you again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The "chart" that Heatherm4 discusses is a good idea, and is referred to as PECs - Picture Exchange Communication system.

The idea is that you give your brother a series of pictures that give him the ability to communicate what he is thinking of.

At the start, it will be very basic. Training him will consist of having a few things in front of him that he likes, and when he reaches for one, instead make him grab an icon picture of that object and hand it to you. Once he hands it to you, give him the object. He will quickly pair the idea together that when he wants something, he has to hand you something first.

Then he will be ready to move to the next step where he has to travel to give you the icon. You sit a few feet away with whatever he wants, and his PEC icon is next to him. He has to pick it up, and bring it to you, and you give him the object.

Then he is ready to start discrimination trials. He can discriminate between one object and another. So for instance, if he hands you an icon for chips, you offer him chips in one hand, and a cookie in another hand. He should take the chips. If he reaches for the cookie, pull it back and say, "These are the chips", handing him the chips.

Its a long arduous task, but will help him communicate and be less frustrated.
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689528 tn?1364135841
I work with a little boy that is autistic and just turned 12 years old. Many of them are unique in what they can do, understand and communicate.
I started working with him almost 3 years ago and he's come a long way with communication. He still cannot form complete sentances but when I first started with him he couldn't communicate anything and would tantrum because of it. Now he can communicate more of what he wants. He has gained all this from one on one time with a worker 4 days a week for 2 hour sessions. You could always teach him words in a musical way.
I would say that the best thing you can do is make a chart. One that says "I want" and then make pictures of common things that he could ask for. Food, a book, movie, computer, outside...etc.
In order for him to find an interest in learning these things would be to use incentives. For example...make a sticker chart and for so many stickers he gets...he can get something he likes.
Those are just some ideas I could throw at you. It is really difficult but the more he can communicate...the less he will hurt himself and he will not be as frustrated. It takes a lot of dedication and don't give up. The earlier you teach him...chances of it all sinking in are higher!
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