Where do you get help?

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This morning, I'm at the computer when I hear Eldest yelling at his brother to stop playing with the dial in the refrigerator. I go look; it's been set to just above 0, on a 1 to 6 scale...with six being the coldest.

I check the freezer. He's put something random in there, and various things are not frozen -- ice cube trays are still ice, but that pint of ice cream is a liquid.

Youngest is five. He's somewhere on the high end of functioning autism. He gets into EVERYTHING, and has no sense of reason. Pokes holes in the window screens, pours drinks out of windows, unlocks the back door (and leaves it that way), climbs on chairs to reach things he shouldn't...he's impossible to keep out of things, and it takes him only seconds to accomplish his goals.

Baby gate? Figured that out in a few days. Cabinet locks? Useless. Doorknob guard? He takes great pride in opening the front door for me when I get home from work.

And why? "Because I did." Which is truthful, but not all that helpful.

I 'm terrified that he's going to get hurt, and worried that he's damage something that we can't afford to replace. How the hell are we supposed to cope with this, short of putting him in a plastic bubble? Who do you go to for help and/or guidance? I have no idea what we can do to curb this behavior, and it's been getting worse.

Phew! That is a LOT to deal with, and I've read of other parents here having similar issues...wish I could help. I would suggest starting with your local autism society and see what supports they can offer - it is a very common problem with many kids on the spectrum, and presumably they will have some tricks for you.

Hang in there!

In some ways you've got an inquisitive toddler with the motor and planning skills of a 5 yo, and have to give the same level of supervision you would to a toddler. I wonder if an ABA therapist would be able to help you teach him which things are ok and which not to do. Or maybe a behaviorist could identify some common threads to what he gets into trouble with, and help you set up activities that will hold his attention. Maybe allow more video game time to keep him occupied when you have things to do???

Are a lot of the things he does very impulsive? If it reaches the level that he is likely to run into traffic or is frequently risking serious injury, ADHD medication has been approved for extreme cases (and after behavioral therapy has been tried) for kids as young as 4.