Son keeps touching other kids belongings

[janetsflower]

I have a 12 year old with a recent diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome and generally he is not doing too bad, we've learnt loads in the last year and are getting to understand each other alot better - however on a daily basis I have reports coming home from school that he keeps touching the other kids pencil cases, moving things, pushing stuff on the floor, hiding things etc, this is obviously getting him into loads of trouble and whilst i have tried my hardest to explain to him that this kind of thing just is not acceptable he still continues to do them virtually every day. Does anyone have any hints for how we can overcome this, or how i can explain things to make him stop. I did get him a tangle toy so he had something to fiddle with other than the other kids stuff but the first time he used it in class he got into trouble for that too and was told to put it away. Schools attitude is that he has to fit in and because he behaves perfectly in some lessons they can't understand why he doesn't behave that way in all lessons. Thanks very much in anticipation of any advice anyone can give

[Ethel]

I can recommend a specialist forum where my friend gets a lot of help and support:

http://www.raisingkids.co.uk/forum/display_for um_topics.asp?ForumID=11

[janetsflower]

Thanks Ethel, I will go and check i out.

[janetsflower]

I agree wholeheartedly and we are in the process of having him statemented in the hope he gets support. There are no special schools in our area for his disability so he as no option than to go to mainstream school. He is extremely clever, his work is great and he does enjoy school on the whole, its mainly just this problem and yes the school are ignorant to aspergers but i am taking someone in from parent pa\rtnership next month to kick ass so hopefully things will improve but i want to try all else i can for my little darling too

[curiosity]

See the headmaster/mistress in the meantime and ask her to get her staff some training (your local home and hospital teaching service are part of the LEA as his school will be) and they will have people who work with children with aspergers who can give advice on how to communicate etc. Also for specific problems, sometimes "story books" prepared by yourself or one of the specialist teachers about the behaviour that you want to change told about another person, are a good way of getting the idea across. Try the behaviour support tream (also LEA) even without a referral they might give you some tips) Good Luck, mainstream is good if you get the right support, once he gets a statement he may qualify for a 1-1 teaching assistant.

[FlowerPetal]

Janetsflower,
i have no advice to give, just wanted to send you my best wishes and hopes for greater acceptance from pig-headed people.

We suspect my s/son to suffer from ADD and while i understand it is not the same as Asperger's, i wanted to give you the name of a book i have recently bought and could not put down - "Freaks, Geaks & Asperger Syndrome - A user guide to adolescence" By Luke Jackson. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Luke Jackson is a 13 yr old Asperger suffer and has written this book to help people understand a little bit about the syndrome.
I couldnt put it down and it really helped us to see why my s/son did certain things.
Hope it helps
Flower xx

[janetsflower]

thank you all for the advie and thanks lowerpetal for the book - we have already got that one and as you say its a really good one - also recommend Martian in the playground by Clare Sainsbury. 2 good books, its a shame they have such unfortunate titles -surely they can't make you kids feel good about themselves. Oh well