Autistic child won't leave the house

bearfamily

Hi all,

I'm hoping some other parents of children with autism/ADHD can empathise/support here.

My son is almost 10 years old and mostly refuses to leave the house. He hates any outdoor activities, I have tried everything from extravagant days out to quiet simple outings. I have tried clubs, classes, activities, and anything he shows an interest in I try to make happen but mostly it happens once and then we can't get him to go again.

We tried martial arts classes which resulted in a huge meltdown on the second session and trying to run away. We tried a walk in the forest, which resulted in another time of running away and locking himself in the car demanding to go home. We went to a trampoline park but he hid in the corner and demanded to go home.

We have managed a couple of successful outings with his cousins and his best friend but both of those are only available around once per month for get-togethers due to their own schedules. When these have happened, he will often say he needs time to "recover" after that outing which results in us not being able to get him to leave the house for some time afterwards.

He feels safe and comfortable at home and finds no enjoyment in the outside world.

My son's family members do not "believe" his diagnoses despite three doctors confirming them so, I am mostly without support. They believe he and I are just lazy and do not understand what we face each day.

I've seen a few posts on here of other parents struggling to get their autistic children out of the house and I wondered how common is this and did you ever find anything that worked?

Albus_Scope

Hi there @bearfamily and welcome to the community!

I'm sorry to hear you're having issues with your son and the great outdoors. It can be very tricky to really pinpoint where the issue is and it's hard to get people to understand when it's not something visible.  I'm autistic myself and know the struggles well. 

 Could it possibly be a sensory issue and things outside are too overwhelming for him? 

There's lots of reading to be had on this part of the Scope site, maybe that could help a bit? 

bearfamily

Hi @Albus_Scope!

Thank you for your reply.

I think it is a sensory issue, he is very easily overwhelmed. For example, a bee flew near him on one of our walks, he didn't even see it but the sound sent him into a tailspin.

In your experience, is trouble with going out a common trait amongst autistic children?

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @bearfamily

From what I have seen from other community members, it is a common trait. The National Autistic Society have an information page on Meltdowns that you may find useful to read. 

We also have members who have created their own threads with similar concerns over their children not leaving the house. 

• Autistic 18 year old won't leave the house 😪
• My son has autism and I can't get him to leave the house anymore. It's affecting all of us
  
• Needing advice please how do I coax my 17 year old daughter outside
  

I thought maybe they could help or even give you more members to talk to I hope the community can be a place of support and friendship for you!

L_Volunteer

Hi @bearfamily. Thank you for reaching out to us, you have done so well in identifying these triggers already. If it is sound-related, would headphones or earplugs/earmuffs work well? Fellow autistic here and I can relate that lots of sounds (especially at once) can be overwhelming. I find headphones really helpful and I'm wondering if they (or something similar) might also be helpful for your son