Inconsistency in a skill tends to be due to stress levels in people with autism. The more stressed, the less able, even for well-known skills. Also, for most people skills start to transfer to automatic functions and we stop thinking about what we're doing. If his skills aren't becoming automatic, then when the rest of him is telling him it should be on autopilot... frustration!

If you notice a pattern of forgetting/frustration, build a support schedule in for a skill this consistently happens with... starting the day BEFORE the range of time he'd be forgetful. For example, if he forgets something or gets frustrated with it after four or five days, then plan on doing the skill with him again on day three.

Try to make it casual, and don't talk about the forgetfulness. Perhaps, every couple of days, join him to tie your own shoes at the same time he is, and talk yourself through the process. Make it a game.

2 out of my three Asd children would go through this. One child responded well to music to help him remember or stay calm. the other child responded well to Nortic Naturals DHA pearls. he would regress so much so that we actually thought he may have been having seizures. when over night and repeated testing came back negative. I cried and i prayed.I was lead to the DHA pearls in a dream. it was really cool to get free advice from a dream.

I have seen this with my daughter. She will "master" something only to forget it and have to relearn it all over again. I wish I had a solution, but all I can suggest is to be patient and reteach the skill.

Oh my goodness, yes! I have been told that kind of inconsistency may be a red flag for mito disorder. My DD has some other red flags including a carnitine deficiency, hypotonia, tiring easily, and the fact that she responded within days to adding acetyl-L-carnitine and Coenzyme Q10. I asked our pediatric neurologist about neurometabolic testing but unfortunately that costs $$$$ and there aren't currently any treatments beyond the nutritional support we are already doing. So for right now, we aren't doing the testing. If your DS isn't already taking acetyl-L-carnitine and/or Coenzyme Q10, you may want to consider trying them to see if they help.

When i was homeschooling my kids through PICCLeah NYC. they have a lending library; you could lend or purchase TLP program. i thought i had nothing to lose 1 of the 3 it must work for. I did see a difference in all 3. i was very happy with TLP as a intergration system.