My son's behaviour has suddenly changed.
If there has been any sudden change in behaviour, we always recommend arranging a medical check-up for your child. Even if your child appears to be in good health, people with autism can have difficulties in registering pain or illness, especially if they have a high pain threshold. Wendy Lawson describes how she can 'sometimes have real difficulty in knowing if I am tired, unwell, or have reached my physical limit' (Lawson, 2005).
Even if your son appears to have a good grasp of language, he may also find it difficult to tell someone if he is feeling unwell or in pain. Some parents will use a diagram of the body and get their child to point to where it hurts. There are also pain scales that can be used to help identify if a child feels unwell. However, even if your child does not identify any areas of difficulty to you, it is still worth having a quick check-up.
We once heard about a 14-year-old boy with autism who suddenly stopped using his one-word communication. A behaviour support team was brought in to try and identify why this had suddenly occurred, but it was only when he was referred to a hospital six months later that it was discovered that his ears were completely blocked. Once they had been cleared and he could hear other people, he began to communicate again.
Having ruled out any medical difficulties, it would be worth thinking about possible changes that have occurred either in routine, or in your son's environment. Has he recently moved schools, house or got a new brother or sister? Has his class teacher, support worker or bus driver changed? Have there been any changes to the timetable where he goes to school or college, or at the day centre? The smallest changes can affect a person with autism, especially if they have sensory processing difficulties. Have you changed the washing powder, lights in the house, classroom, car, etc? If so, can these environmental changes be changed back?