The Dialogue of Autism #10

                                                            Positive Use of Routines

The strong need for routine by most people with Autism can often lead to distress and challenging behavior whenever a routine is interrupted, postponed or changed in some way.  However, this same need for routine can also be used to  help people with Autism learn new skills and increase their independence.  Many people use routines in their everyday lives to help get ready in the morning for work or school and in the evening to get ready for bed or the next days activities.  

When teaching people with Autism, any new skill can be made into a routine by taking the steps of that skill and repeating them THE SAME WAY each time the person performs the skill.  It may take several, if not more, repetitions before the routine is learned, but once it is the person with Autism will be able to perform the task based on rote memory rather than conscious processing.  In other words, the individual will not have to think about what to do.  They will automatically know it.  Once the knowledge/procedure becomes automatic

then a simple cue may be all that is needed to allow the routine to be completed independently.  Routines are not just for morning and evening preparation, but can be used for self care, chores, homework, paying bills, and other independent living skills.  When routines are incorporated into a schedule (see previous post) they can be more easily remembered and carried out with less prompting. 

While routines can be helpful for strengthening skills, they can also contribute to resistance to change if certain safeguards are not put into place, namely generalization and transition.

Generalization refers to the ability to transfer new skills or knowledge across different situations (e.g. people, settings, and times).  People with Autism typically have difficulty with generalization, unless the generalization is built into the training.  That involves the person perform the new skill/routine with different people, in difference places, and at different times.  More details on generalization will be described in a future post.  In addition, there are times when a routine needs to be changed for reasons that cannot be helped.  Many people with Autism also have difficulty with transition and sudden change.  Adaptation can also be incorporated into training.  Once the base routine is established, flexibility can be trained by introducing small changes into the routine (one change at a time) and giving the person advance warning about the change(s).  Transition strategies will also be discussed in more detail in future posts.  

By using routines to help teach new skills and encourage independence, a characteristic that was once seen as a weakness can now be viewed as a strength.  some people view this as compensation.  I see it as taking your natural gifts and using them to your advantage.  This theme will be emphasized in many of the upcoming posts.     

Steven C. altabet, Ph.D.