It is better to provide an alternative activity as you let your child know that spitting is inappropriate. Sometimes it can be as simple as providing the child with a glass of water or snack on. Redirect the child away from autism spitting and towards appropriate uses of the mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may find that your child is spitting because they have sensory needs at that time, and you can offer an object to provide the sensory release needed. For example, your child may get this release from a squishy toy or another item that fulfills this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can encourage several activities in place of spitting, including fidget balls, bubble blowing, chewy foods, and safe chewing objects. The important thing is to be consistent and address it each time it happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another method for reducing spitting in children with autism is offering a tangible reward when they make the right choice. Once you use social stories to teach your child appropriate uses for the mouth, you can also offer rewards for making a better choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, when the child chooses an alternate behavior, you can offer a piece of candy and reinforce this with your words. Say something such as “Good job making a good choice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spitting is something that you need to work on from the first time that it appears. You want your autistic child to socialize with other children, and this is a behavior that it is crucial to work on controlling. The key to it is to be consistent. No matter how much patience it takes, it would be best if you addressed it every single time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to use tools such as social stories, alternative stimulation, and rewards. Your child will learn that spitting is a problem behavior. It might still be difficult for the child to control it, but it will become easier as time goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child knows not to do it and starts spitting at anyone, mostly out of anger, you need always to remain calm. No matter how frustrated you feel, it is imperative. You need to know that you are a role model for handling emotions, and if your child is spitting out of frustration or anger and you respond with frustration or anger, you are not going to be able to teach this lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay calm and let the child know that spitting is not okay. You only need to give one sentence, such as “spitting is inappropriate” or “spit is for chewing.” If the child spits again, you can repeat the phrase and continue to stay calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, you should have the child clean up the spit. Remain calm and bring the cleaning materials to the child and show them how to clean it up. If the child spits again, continue to make the kid clean it up. This is a significant consequence as long as you stay calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might consider putting the child in time-out if the child is angry and can’t calm down. You can also work on strategies when the child is not mad. You can show the child how to calm down by breathing from the belly, tensing and relaxing the muscles, drawing, and other techniques. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you teach our child these methods for calming down, your child may learn to calm down while in time-out. It would help if you only left your child in time-out for the equivalent of one minute for each year of the child’s age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n