Need Help Controlling Impulses

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Need some practical advice here. My daughter (4 1/2) is having trouble controlling her impulsiveness. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas that could help. She will just wander off in stores, or continue hitting or kicking things even when we tell her to stop (she's already killed the portable dvd player bouncing it with her foot). We don't think she's being deliberately disobedient, she just can't seem to control her urges. Any thoughts on how we could help her?

Uh, don't take her to stores - seriously. If it's too distracting for her to pay attention and if it ratchets up her hyperactivity, then don't go. I stopped taking my son to the grocery store because it caused him to go into overdrive. He can handle some stores, but not all. And, it really, really helps if you take her to stores she likes. Before the ASD dx, I just figured my boy was not going to enjoy an afternoon shopping for purses or shoes or whatever.

As far as the movements, give her a fidget (some soft, squishy toy) and try to remove anything important from her area. She probably can't control it and telling her over and over isn't going to do much besides make her feel bad.

I forgot to put my camera's USB cable away and sure enough, he was chewing on it. He didn't even know he was doing it. I was so upset - it basically broke my camera - but he sincerely didn't know he was doing it. I just try to keep important things put away and provide lots of fidgets and chewing gum now too.

we had to stop going to stores for awhile until son was able to get himself together~ i just thought he hated shopping.....until he got diagnosed, i believed he just hated shopping..now i think that the lights and motion and volume of sound are just too much for him. he can go to one store for 20 minutes~ that's about it. i know there are plenty of times that you just can't go shopping without the kids. when i used to have to take him grocery shopping, i'd make sure that he had a snack to eat while we were there, a toy to play with and the incentive that if we just made it through the store without a tantrum or destruction he'd get to "play the machines" ( put a quarter into those infernal toy machines near the exit). most of the time, the incentive of getting to play the machines worked ~ he had a few meltdowns though when the machines ate his money.

Thanks for the replies. We don't get a lot of help from the fam in the child-care department so taking her with us is sometimes a necessity. Chewing gum was kind of a double edged sword. It helped while she was chewing it, but the corn in it made her tantrums worse. I've thought about letting her take a toy into the store, but I'm afraid of the confrontation if the store thought we stole it on the way out. Maybe we'll try the playing the machines deal. I think it may be something you just have to outgrow. I sometimes still have trouble controlling my impulses (its a good thing cars don't have optional rocket launchers ).

Hello,
I have AS and my two sons are also on the spectrum. My youngest has pretty severe impulse problems, We have worked on a token system through a behavior therapy program that has helped immensly. Have you looked into any type of ABA program?
Here is a link to an article you may find of interest. http://www.wrongplanet.net/asperger.htm ... ge&pid=100
If you want any further information on the protocols used please pm me.

well, as far as outgrowing the tantrums....hate to tell you, but.......son, who's 14 still wants a treat when he goes to the store~ at least he doesn't tantrum too bad when he doesn't get one in fact, even hubby ( parts) wants something from the store every time we go now that i think about it.....parts at least says he doesn't care what it is~ sometimes i've just come home with the receipt, and that makes him happy

What boy wants to go shopping for purses or shoes!! ! What man for that matter. I even hate to shop, which dh thinks is weird.

Honestly, we try not to take our son (who is almost 10) shopping if it's going to be long, drawn out and with too many people around. It's just too stimulating for him and for me as well. I nearly have a panic attack every time we go to Walmart! We don't have any family around either, so we usually take turns shopping. Actually, dh does most of the shopping. G-d bless him!