978-1572305441

Zachary 57
not see, the choice that we will not look at this now, will instead focus
on something else, is another coping mechanism that saves us from experiencing
anxiety all the time. Such freedom to be distracted is simply
not available to children with ASD. They do not have the option of “not
seeing.” But, then again, we are often denied the privilege of seeing
what they see.
* * *
Little is known about how to treat resistance to change as an isolated
symptom. We do know that most individuals with ASD benefit
from routine and structure. Presumably this helps them cope with
change and the transitions that are a part of daily life. A schedule posted
on the wall at school or on the refrigerator at home that outlines each
day’s activities with pictures and words is a common tool that makes
transitions and change more acceptable. For example, when Zachary
was in kindergarten, it was difficult for him to go from one activity to
another during the course of the day. Once we understood the nature of
his diagnosis, we suggested that the teacher make a set of photographs
of Zachary doing different activities that were part of the daily routine.
These were then placed in a prominent spot and were shown to him
when it was time to make a transition. This led to fewer difficulties in
going from one activity to another. We attempted the same thing at
home to help with the routine of coming for dinner and going to bed at
night. Again he responded well to these simple interventions.
But Zachary’s anxiety about change at this point in his life was
more abstract, almost metaphysical. A schedule placed prominently on
the refrigerator would not help him deal with the changes brought
about by death. A more useful strategy for Zachary might be to provide
him with a new distraction. His extraordinary ability to become absorbed
in a topic could be a viable way of helping him to forget his anxieties.
If he could not imagine a new order to things through language,
he would need a new interest to get him off the topics of death and replacement.
The problem was that Zachary could not distract himself;
we needed to do it for him.
This new distraction would have to be something special to provide
enough impetus to help him leave behind the anxiety about
change. Once we shifted his attention, with luck it might fasten onto
another interest and leave the anxiety about replacement behind. To
maximize the chances that this would work, we needed to take his fa-