Perserveration - Living With FASD

Perserveration is one of the "symptoms" of FASD. Wikipedia has this description;  Perserveration is the repetition of a particular response (such as a word, phrase or gesture) despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus. It is usually caused by a brain injury or other organic disorder. 

Joseph has saying, "I want to build something - I have to build something!' He mopes about the house, melts down and picks fights, because, "I just have to build something." Quite honestly it is driving both him and his mother nuts!

He isn't content to build something with his Lego bricks or his wooden blocks. He wants to make real things like, play houses, vehicles and remote control toys that really work. We have an set of Electronic Snap Curcuits that Dean suggested I get down for Joseph. We put it away after Tristan outgrew it, and I was sure we finally had something for Joseph to build. You snap the pieces together to make a fan blow, light blink and play a song among other things, just perfect for Joseph...or not. He was thrilled when I pulled the box out of the closet but with in 15 minutes he was jumping and screaming because it just didn't work for him. He was unable to follow the directions and he didn't want any help because then he, "wasn't building anything!" So we put the game away for a later date and we were right back to the whining, crying and moaning.

To complicate matters, Joseph has a special knack for using things in any way other than the way in which they were intended. Give him a scissors and paper to cut and he will cut his clothing. A piece of wire will be used to gouge lines in his bedroom floor and sticks can be used as a hammer or pry bar.

My FASD FB group had many suggestions:

-Empty cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls and tape can be made into all kinds of interesting items.

-Matchstick models, tiny cement bricks

-Someone suggested letting him take apart things that no longer work. He would love that, although with his penchant for hurting himself that wouldn't be an option.

-Magna Tiles

-Cardboard construction sets

Currently he is playing with a small bike that is missing the front wheel. He uses is as a plow, holds a wire to the spokes on the back wheel so it makes music when he turns it and practices taking the chain on and off. This broken bike has kept him occupied for hours.