The Fire Alarm
My brother has Autism. When he was in kindergarten, he pulled the fire alarm. It was January and way below freezing. Our school district’s policy was to expel any student that pulls the fire alarm. Thankfully, they reconsidered for the kindergarten student with autism. Now, you would think the noise of the fire alarm is something that an autistic child would want to avoid. We found out months later (he wouldn’t open up about it then) that he pulled it to stop the noise of ‘stations’ time going on in his classroom. He didn’t really have the mental connection of what would happen if he pulled the alarm, but he knew it would make the noisy station time stop.
When you can’t concentrate, what do you?
When I was younger, I had a hard time tuning out – finally figured out to put earplugs or to put my fingertips to close my ears, then listen close to my breathing or my heart rate.
As I got older, I habitually slow my breathing, and shut out everything but my breath and pulse. Once calmed, I can tune others out.
Perhaps getting a set of earplugs on a cord, for your brother to use, and teaching him that trick might help.
I either retreat into myself(curl up in a tight little ball, earbuds in, loud music, don’t talk/move) or if I can’t or someone tries to interrupt my retreatedness I kind of lose it and lash out at anyone and everyone.
I “zone out” as my mom called it. Too much noise, too much going on… I’d just shut down.
I put in earplugs.