Help!!!My son's self talk is driving me crazy

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Julesmom
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14 Aug 2015, 9:36 pm

Help!! ! My 11 year old son who has Asperger's and who is going into middle school this year, has always talked excessively. He scripts pieces of TV shows, movies, books, and things that he has heard into his own story's 24/7 and I mean 24/7, he never stops. He walks back and forth through the house all day from sun up to sun down and does this. This behavior drives everyone in the house crazy. I am so worried that middle school is going to be a rude awakening for him as he also picks his nose and eats his boogers, picks scabs, and wont keep his hands out of his pants, but mostly the self talk is out of control. Does anyone have experience with this, and how do you help your child. I am at my wits end, and sometimes yell and make him go to his room to do this, because I have tried to negotiate and give set times with a timer or ask him if he feels he cant control it to take a time out for himself in his room so that the rest of the house doesn't have to listen to it. Any suggestion would be helpful. I want to support him and not become frustrated by the behavior.



Fnord
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14 Aug 2015, 9:45 pm

Has he been prescribed any medications to moderate his behavior?



YippySkippy
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14 Aug 2015, 10:28 pm

My son does the boogers and pants things, too. He's 10, and the only thing that really motivates him to stop is other kids making fun of him. Even then, he sometimes forgets and does it. My husband makes him go wash his hands every time he catches him at it, and that has helped some.
As for the talking, a lot of these annoying behaviors are phases. When my son gets hooked on an annoying behavior, I make him go in his room to do it. Want to spin like a top? That's fine, but not in the middle of the living room while the rest of the family is watching tv. He has to do that in his room. It's not a punishment, just a way to keep the rest of us sane and hopefully discourage the behavior at the same time.



Julesmom
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15 Aug 2015, 10:45 am

Yes he has been prescribed medication for anxiety, he takes luvox or generic fluvoximn. Tis is supposed to help with anxiety and some obsessive behaviors. I was worried about other kids making fun of him, but that may be what just has to happen. I have told him that this will happen when he goes to middle school if he does not try to curve some of these behaviors. I think because he has gone to school with the same kids since preschool, most of the kids are just used to it and just giggle or ignore it, but no one has truly been mean to him about it. It is just frustrating because I feel like he is setting him self up for disaster, and he really may not try to work on the behaviors until it actually happens to him, because he cant relate to what I am saying, since he has been lucky enough in elementary school not to deal with bully's. Unfortunately this is not just a phase it has been going on for years, I wish it was. I know I have had people ask me how I think this is going to affect him in middle school and at this point I really don't know.



Fitzi
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15 Aug 2015, 1:11 pm

My 10 year old with ADD does the self talk/ incessant pacing thing. It also drives me bonkers. He is mostly making up stories when he does it. We also live in an apartment building, and have neighbors below us, so we are constantly telling him: "stop" all day. I try to tire him out outdoors, but it only helps a little. I was thinking that maybe one of those exercise balls, or even a mini trampoline might help. I think with my son that it may be more about moving, and not pacing specifically. Not sure.

My son with ASD also can't keep his hands out of his pants. He also does this thing where he spits saliva just outside of his mouth, then wipes it across his face with his hand. The kids in his class (2nd grade) made fun of him for it and called him gross. He still could not stop. He does not seem to have awareness that he is doing it. I got him into a program for kids on the spectrum, I hope that helps.

Does your kid have an IEP? I would approach the administration at the middle school and alert them to these issues. My guess is that he's going to need some adult support to help gain awareness/ help protect him. Legally, the administration has to address any potential bully issues for a kid with an IEP with strategies in the IEP. I would suggest contacting the school social worker or guidance counselor.



Rudin
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15 Aug 2015, 1:18 pm

Consider an occupational therapist for his hygiene issues. They'll make it clear that his actions are not socially acceptable and disturbing.

The quoting TV and movies is common among people with autism, I do it sometimes. What he does sounds like an attention disorder, he should be prescribed medication to with this.

I used to talk incessantly when I was your son's age and I continue to do it. Anything that I'm interested in I'll talk incessantly about, people told me to stop but I didn't understand, however I was doing okay socially.


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glebel
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15 Aug 2015, 1:39 pm

I did these things ( except the booger eating thing, gross! ) when I was his age. If you are concerned about there being a problem in the coming year, take a look back at how he did in primary school. Bear in mind that there really are no milestones in life, but a steady progression from day to day. As far as therapy goes, I think that you taking a hard line with him probably is the best thing you can do. Telling him to take his compulsions to his own private space may sound harsh, but it really is for the best in my opinion. He will have to learn to adjust to the world as it is, and find his own level.


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