Children who have Asperger's Syndrome can be difficult to discipline because they often have trouble understanding social behavior rules and responding to social cues. In addition to these issues, kids with Asperger's Syndrome are also hypersensitive to their surroundings, which means changes in routine, noise level or anything else can make them act out. To discipline children with Asperger's Syndrome, you need a combination of patience and observation.
Step 1
Be consistent with discipline at home, school and anywhere else your child spends a lot of time. Work with the major players in your child's life--parents, teachers, counselors, therapists and others--to agree on a discipline strategy and enforce it across the board.
Step 2
Explain the problem to your child in one or two simple sentences. Make your explanation factual and brief.
Step 3
Ask your child to explain what caused the problem by asking "What did you do?" or "What happened?" instead of asking "Why did you do that?" Stick with concrete facts rather than asking your child to speculate.
Step 4
Work with your child to understand the event that set off the inappropriate behavior. For instance, your child may have been stressed out by a sudden change in a room's noise level or upset by an abrupt transition between activities.
Step 5
Demonstrate an appropriate, alternate behavior that your child can use in the future when the situation that triggered his unacceptable behavior occurs. For instance, if your child interrupts other students while they are working, teach him how to recognize cues so he knows when it's appropriate to talk to other students.
Step 6
Write down the recommended behavior you've decided on with your child since children with Asperger's Syndrome tend to respond well to written information.
Tips and Warnings
- Parenting a child with Asperger's Syndrome can sometimes be frustrating. If you need to collect yourself, walk away for a few minutes and return to the situation when you've cooled down. Your child may find it easier to have a conversation when you're walking or driving together than when you're talking face to face, so if you feel like you're not getting through to her, change locations or positions.
