Ask Dr. Malcolm
Dr. Malcolm answers parents’ questions and concerns about their autistic children. You can submit your questions
here.
By Ronald I. Malcolm, EdD
Sherry from Powder Springs, Georgia, US, asks:
My 13-year-old with autism and more had been doing great until last month. She does well at school in the morning, but with ABA therapy at 1:00, it's a totally different scenario. [She becomes] physically aggressive [with] tantrums that can last an hour or more. After therapy, she has meltdowns if friends aren’t available to play or talk on the phone. If they are, there is a meltdown when it’s over. Help me, please.
Autism can be confounded when appearing in combination with other disabilities. Your question doesn’t indicate to me what “autism and more” involves.
For this question, I’ll focus my attention on autism. However, if an additional disability is present and the behaviors have just started occurring in the past month, it might be wise to consult with your child’s pediatrician to alert them of these new concerns.